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DISCIPLINE 


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United  Brethren  in  Christ 


DAYTON,  OHIO 

United  Brethren  Publishing  House 

1893 


Copyright,  1893, 
By  W.  J.  Shuey,  Publisher. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter  l.-ORIGIN  OF  THE  CHURCH. 7 

Chaptee  ll.-CONFESSION  OF  FAITH. U 

Chapter  Ill.-CONSTITUTION. IS 

Chapter  IV -MEMBERS 23 

Section  1.    Reception  of  Members 23 

Section  2.    Duties  of  Members 26 

Section  3.    Trial  of  Members 32 

Section  4.    Transfer  and  Dismissal  of  Members 37 

Chapter  T.— GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH  38 

Section  1.    Classes 38 

Section  2.    Class-Leaders 39 

Sections.    Class  Stewards 40 

Section  4.    Official  Boards  for  Stations 41 

Sections.    Quarterly  Conference 43 

Sections.    Annual  Conference 48 

Section  7.    General  Conference 51 

Chapter  \1.— MINISTRY  OF  THE  CHURCH 57 

Section  1.    Exhorters 57 

Section  2.    Quarterly-Conference  Preachers 58 

Sections.    Annual-Conference  Preachers 60 

Section  4,    Eeception  of  Preachers  from  Other 

Churches 64 

Section  5.    Classification  of  the  Ministry 64 

Section  6.    Elders 66 

Section?.    Presiding  Elders 68 

Section  8.    Bishops 71 

Section  9.    Trial  of  Preachers 75 

ill 


IV  DISCIPLINE. 

Section  10.  Marriage— Who  may  Solemnize 78 

Section  11.  General  Duties  of  Preachers 79 

Chaptek  YLl.— itineracy 81 

Section  1.    Itinerants 81 

Section  2.    Duties  of  Itinerants 83 

Section  3.    Preachers'  Salaries 88 

Chapter  "^111.— APPEALS 89 

Section  1.    From  Decision  of  a  Class 89 

Section  2.    From  Decision  of  a  Quarterly  Confer- 
ence   89 

Sections.    Court  of  Appeals 90 

Chapter  IK.— SECEDING    MEMBERS  —  Special 

Enactment 92 

CuAVTBU  X.— COURSES     OF     READING     AND 

STUDY 94 

Section  1.    For  Quarterly-Conference  Preachers....  94 

Section  2.    For  Annual-Conference  Preachers 95 

Sections.    German  Course  of  Reading 98 

Section  4.    Completing  the  Course 99 

Section  5.    Preparation  for  the  Ministry 100 

Chapter  XI— CHURCH  HOUSES  AND  PARSON- 
AGES  100 

Chapter  Tll.-MORAL  REFORM 106 

Section  1.    Temperance 106 

Section  2.    Slavery 107 

Sections.    Secret  Combinations 107 

Section  4.    Oaths 108 

Section  5.    War 108 

Section  6.    Marriage  Relation 109 

Chapter  Jill.— CHURCH  PUBLICATIONS 110 

Chapter  XIV.— BOARD  OF  CHURCH  TRUSTEES  111 


CONTENTS.  V 

Chapteb  "KY.— sabbath  schools 112 

Section  1.    Constitution  of  the  General  Sabbath- 
School  Board 112 

Section  2.    Annual-Conference  Relations  and  Du- 
ties  116 

Sections.    Organization  of  Sabbath  Schools 117 

Section  4.    Relation  of  Sabbath  Schools  to  Mis- 
sionary Work 119 

Section  5.    Form    of     Constitution    of    Sabbath 

School 119 

Chapter  X\1.— YOUNG  PEOPLE'S  CHRISTIAN 

UNION. 122 

Section  1.    Organization 122 

Section  2.    Constitution 123 

Chapter  XVII— HOME,  FRONTIER,  AND  FOR- 
EIGN MISSIONARY  SOCIETY— Constitution  129 

Chapter  XVIII.— WOMAN'S   MISSIONARY  AS- 
SOCIATION.   137 

Section  1.    Articles  of  Incorporation 137 

Section  2.    By-Laws 137 

Sections.    Branch  Constitution 141 

Section  4.    Local  Constitution 143 

Chapter  XIX.— CHURCH-ERECTION    SOCIETY 

—Constitution 145 

Chapter  XK.— PRINTING  ESTABLISHMENT 150 

Chapter  XXL.— EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS  155 

Section  1.    Board  of  Education 155 

Section  2.    Academies 160 

Section  3.    Colleges 161 

Section  4.    Union  Biblical  Seminary 162 

Section  5.    Special  Provisions 167 

Chapter  XXII.— HISTORICAL  SOCIETY. 168 


VI  DISCIPLINE. 

Chapteb  'SXni.—BOUNDAEIES 169 

Section  1.    Bishops' Districts 169 

Section  2.    Annual-Conference  Districts 170 

Chapter  XSIV —FORMULAS 190 

Section  1.    Ordination  of  Elders 190 

Section  2.    Marriage  Ceremony 192 

Section  3.    Marriage  Service  with  a  Eing 193 

Section  4.    Burial  of  the  Dead 196 

Section  5.    Formula  for  the  Holy  Communion 197 

Section  6.    Formula  for  the  Baptism  of  Adults 199 

Section  7.  Formula  for  the  Baptism  of  Children..  201 

Sections.    Formula  for  Laying  Corner  Stone 202 

Section  9.    Church-Dedication  Service 203 

Chapter  XXV.—FOBMS 207 


DISCIPLINE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ORIGIN  OF   THE   UNITED   BRETHREN   IN 
CHRIST. 


In  the  eighteenth  century,  it  pleased  the  Lord 
our  God  to  awaken  persons  in  different  parts  of 
the  world,  who  should  raise  up  the  Christian 
religion  from  its  fallen  state  and  preach  the 
gospel  of  Christ  crucified  in  its  purity. 

About  the  middle  of  said  century,  the  Lord, 
in  mercy,  remembered  the  Germans  in  America, 
who,  living  scattered  in  this  extensive  country, 
seldom  had  an  opportunity  to  hear  the  gospel 
of  a  crucified  Sa\'ior  preached  to  them  in  their 
native  language. 

Among  others,  he  raised  up  William  Otter- 
BEiN  and  Martin  Boehm,  in  the  State  of  Penn- 
sylvania, and  George  A.  Geeting,  in  the  State 
of  Maryland,  armed  them  wdth  spirit,  grace,  and 
strength  to  labor  in  his  neglected  vineyard,  and 
to  call,  among  the  Germans  in  America,  sinners 
7 


8  DISCIPLINE. 

to  repentance.  These  men  obeyed  the  call  of 
their  Lord  and  Master.  Their  labors  were 
blessed,  and  they  established  in  many  places  ex- 
cellent societies  and  led  many  precious  souls  to 
Jesus  Christ.  Their  sphere  of  action  spread 
more  and  more,  so  that  they  found  it  necessary 
to  look  about  for  more  fellow  laborers  to  toil 
in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord;  for  the  harvest 
was  great  and  the  laborers  were  few.  The  Lord 
called  others,  who  were  willing  to  devote  their 
strength  to  his  service.  Such  persons  were 
accepted  by  one  or  another  of  the  preachers  as 
fellow  laborers. 

The  number  of  members  in  the  society  in 
different  parts  of  the  country  continued  to  in- 
crease as  time  passed,  and  the  gracious  work  of 
reformation  spread  through  the  States  of  Penn- 
sylvania, Maryland,  and  Virginia.  Several 
great  meetings  were  appointed  and  held  annu- 
ally. On  such  occasions  Otterbein  would  hold 
particular  conversations  with  the  preachers 
then  present,  and  represent  to  them  the  im- 
portance of  the  ministry  and  the  necessity  of 
their  utmost  endeavors  to  save  souls.  At  one 
of  these  meetings  it  was  resolved  to  hold  a 
conference  of  all  the  preachers,  in  order  to 
consider  in  what  manner  they  might  be  most 
useful. 

The  first  conference  was  held  in  the  city  of 


ORIGIN  OP  THE  CHURCH.  9 

Baltimore,  Maiyland,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
1789.    The  following  preachers  were  present : 
William  Otterbein,      Adam  Lehman, 
Martin  Boehm,  John  Ernst, 

Geo.  a.  Geeting,  Henry  Weidner, 

Christian  Newcomer. 
The  second  conference  was  held  in  Paradise 
Township,  York  County,  Pennsylvania,  at  the 
house  of  Brother  John  Spangler,  in  the  year 
of  our  Lord  1791.  The  following  preachers 
were  present :  * 

William  Otterbein,       John  Ernst, 
Martin  Boehm,  J.  G.  Pfrimmer, 

Geo.  a.  Geeting,  John  Neidig, 

Christian  Newcomer,     Benedict  Sanders, 

Adam  Lehman, 
After  mature  deliberation  as  to  how  they 
might  labor  most  usefully  in  the  vineyard  of 
the  Lord,  they  again  appointed  as  fellow  labor- 
ers such  as  they  had  come  to  believe  had  ex- 
perienced true  religion  in  their  souls. 

Meantime,  the  number  of  members  continued 
to  increase,  and  the  preachers  were  obliged  to 
appoint  an  annual  conference,  in  order  to  unite 
themselves  more  closely  and  to  labor  more 
successfully  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord;  for 
some  had  been  Presbyterians  or  German  Re- 
formed, some  Lutherans,  and  others  Mennon- 
ites.    They  accordingly  appointed  a  conference 


10  DISCIPLINE. 

to  be  held  on  the  25th  of  September,  1800,  in 
Frederick  County,  Maryland,  at  the  house  of 
Brother  Frederick  Kemb.  The  following 
preachers  were  present: 

William  Otterbein,       Christian  Krum, 
Martin  Boehm,  Henry  Krum, 

Geo.  a.  Geeting,  John  Hershey, 

Christian  Newcomer,     Jacob  Geisinger, 
Adam  Lehman,  Henry  Boehm, 

Abraham  Troxel,  Dietrich  Aurand, 

♦  J.  G.  Pfrimmer. 
There  they  united  themselves  into  a  society 
which  bears  the  name  "United  Brethren  in 
Christ,"  and  elected  "William  Otterbein  and 
Martin  Boehm  as  superintendents,  or  bishops, 
and  agreed  that  each  of  them  should  have 
liberty  as  to  the  mode  of  baptism,  to  administer 
it  according  to  his  own  convictions. 

From  this  time,  the  society  increasing  still 
more  and  more,  preachers  were  appointed  to 
travel  regularly,  as  the  number  of  preaching- 
plrces  could  not  otherwise  be  supplied.  The 
work  soon  extended  into  the  States  of  Ohio  and 
Kentucky.  It  then  became  necessary  to  ap- 
point a  conference  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  because 
it  was  thought  too  laborious  for  the  preachers 
who  labored  in  those  States  to  travel  annually 
such  a  great  distance  to  conference. 
Meantime,  Martin  Boehm  and  Geo.  A.  Geet- 


ORIGIN  OP  TUB  CHURCH.  11 

IXG  died,  and  Bishop  Otterbeix  desired  that 
another  bishop  should  be.  elected  (because 
infirmity  and  old  age  "svould  not  permit  him 
to  superintend  any  longer),  who  should  take 
charge  of  the  society,  and  preserve  discipline 
and  order.  It  was  resolved  at  a  former  confer- 
ence that  whenever  one  of  the  bishops  died 
another  should  be  elected  in  his  place.  Accord- 
ingly, Christian  Xewcomer  was  elected  bishop, 
to  take  charge  of  and  superintend  the  concerns 
of  the  society. 

The  want  of  a  Book  of  Discipline  in  the 
society  had  long  been  deeply  felt.  Partial 
attempts  to  provide  one  had  been  made  at 
difierent  times.  Hence  it  was  resolved,  at  the 
conference  held  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  that  a 
General  Conference  should  be  held,  in  order  to 
provide  the  same,  in  a  manner  not  derogatory 
to  the  word  of  God.  The  members  of  this  con- 
ference were  to  be  elected  from  among  the 
preachers  in  the  difierent  parts  of  the  country, 
by  a  vote  of  the  society  in  general.  The  follow- 
ing brethren  were  duly  elected : 

Christian  Newcomer,  Daniel  Troyer, 

Abraham  Hiestand,  Geo.  Benedu3i, 

Andrew  Zeller,  Abr.\ham  Troxel, 

Christian  Beeger,  Henry  Ct.  Spayth, 

Abraham  Mayer,  I.  Niswander, 

John  Schneider,  Christian  Krum, 

Henry  Kumler,  Jacob  Bowlus. 


12  DISCIPLINE. 

The  conference  convened  on  th.e  Gth.  ol  June, 
1815,  near  Mt.  Pleasant,  Westmoreland  County, 
Pennsylvania.  After  mature  deliberation,  they 
presented  to  their  brethren  a  Book  of  Discipline, 
containing  the  doctrine  and  rules  of  the  Church, 
desiring  that  these,  together  with  the  word  of 
God,  should  be  strictly  observed,  and  admonish- 
ing the  membership  in  the  following  manner : 

God  is  a  God  of  order ;  but  where  there  is  no 
order  and  no  church  discipline,  the  spirit  of 
love  and  charity  will  be  lost. 

Therefore,  brethren,  we  beseech  you  to  fol- 
low the  example  of  our  Lord,  as  it  is  written, 
"Be  kindly  affectioned  one  to  another  with 
brotherly  love;  in  honor  preferring  one  an- 
other." Let  the  mind  be  in  you  which  was 
in  Christ,  who  took  upon  him  the  form  of  a 
servant,  humbled  himself,  and  became  obedi- 
ent unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the  cross, 
that  by  his  grace  we  may  submit  ourselves  one 
to  another  in  the  fear  of  God.  He  who  will  not 
submit  is  in  want  of  humble  love.  Jesus  said, 
"  Whosoever  of  you  will  be  the  chief  est  shall 
be  servant  of  all."  "By  this  shall  all  men 
know  that  ye  are  my  disciples,  if  ye  have  love 
one  to  another."  "He  that  loveth  not  his 
brother  abide th  in  death."  Let  us  walk  in 
newness  of  life,  that  the  prayer  of  our  Lord 
may  be  answered  in  us ;  that  we  may  be  one 


ORIGIN   OF  THE  CHURCH.  13 

in  him,  and  that  he  may  give  us  the  glory 
which  he  gave  to  his  disciples,  that  we  may 
be  one,  even  as  he  and  the  Father  are  one. 
Therefore,  beloved  brethren,  let  us  strive  to 
be  like-minded,  having  the  same  love,  being 
of  one  accord,  of  one  mind.  Let  no  one  speak 
or  think  evil  of  his  brother,  but  pray  God  that 
he  may  grant  us  his  Spirit,  and  an  earnest 
desire  to  lead  a  truly  devoted  life,  to  the  honor 
and  glory  of  his  holy  name.    Amen. 


The  foregoing  account  of  the  origin  of  the 
Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ 
appeared  in  the  Discipline  of  1815,  the  first  Dis- 
cipline published.  Only  the  slightest  changes 
in  phraseology,  as  the  years  have  passed,  have 
been  made.  The  place  of  the  conference  of 
1800  probably  should  be  given  as  at  Peter 
Kemp's,  instead  of  at  Frederick  Kemp's,  both 
places  being  in  the  same  county.  The  present 
Discipline  contains  the  Confession  of  Faith  and 
the  Constitution  as  amended  according  to  the 
action  of  the  General  Conference  of  1885,  and 
approved  and  confirmed  by  the  General  Con- 
ference of  1889.  The  Confession  of  Faith  ap- 
peared in  its  first  printed  form  in  1815.  The 
Constitution,  in  its  earlier  form,  was  adopted 
in  1841. 


14  DISCIPLINE. 

CHAPTER  II. 

CONFESSION   OF    FAITH. 

In  the  name  of  God,  we  declare  and  confess 
before  all  men  the  following  articles  of  our 
belief: 

AETICLE   I. 

Of  God  and  the  Holy  TriniU/. 
We  believe  in  the  only  true  God,  the  Father, 
the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost;  that  these  three 
are  one — the  Father  in  the  Son,  the  Son  in 
the  Father,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  equal  in  essence 
or  being  with  the  Father  and  the  Son. 

ARTICLE   II. 

Of  Creation  and  Providence. 
We  believe  that  this  triune  God  created  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  and  all  that  in  them  is, 
visible  and  invisible ;  that  he  sustains,  protects, 
and  governs  these,  with  gracious  regard  for  the 
welfare  of  man,  to  the  glory  of  his  name. 

ARTICLE   III. 

Of  Jesus  Christ. 
We  believe  in  Jesus  Christ;  that  he  is  very 
God  and  man;  that  he  became  incarnate  by 
the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  was  born  of 
the  Virgin  ]\Iary;  that  he  is  the  Savior  and 
Mediator  of  the  whole  human  race,  if  they  with 


CONFESSION  OP  FAITH.  15 

full  faith  accept  the  grace  proffered  iii  Jesus; 
that  this  Jesus  suffered  and  died  on  the  cross 
for  us,  was  buried,  rose  again  on  the  third  day, 
ascended  into  heaven,  and  sitteth  on  the  right 
hand  of  God,  to  intercede  for  us ;  and  that  he 
will  come  again  at  the  last  day  to  judge  the 
living  and  the  dead. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

Of  tlie  Holy  Ghost. 
We  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost;  that  he  is 
equal  in  being  with  the  Father  and  the  Son; 
that  he  convinces  the  world  of  sin,  of  right- 
eousness, and  of  judgment;  that  he  comforts 
the  faithful  and  guides  them  into  all  truth. 

AETICLE  V. 

Cf  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
We  believe  that  the  Holy  Bible,  Old  and  New 
Testaments,  is  the  word  of  God ;  that  it  reveals 
the  only  true  way  to  our  salvation ;  that  every 
true  Christian  is  bound  to  acknowledge  and 
receive  it  by  the  help  of  the  Spirit  of  God  as  the 
only  rule  and  guide  in  faith  and  practice. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

Of  the  Church. 
We  believe  in  a  holy  Christian  church,  com- 
posed of  true  believers,  in  which  the  word  of 
God  is  preached  by  men  divinely  called,  and 


16  DISCIPLINE. 

the  ordinances  are  duly  administered ;  that  this 
divine  institution  is  for  the  maintenance  of 
worship,  for  the  edification  of  believers,  and 
the  conversion  of  the  world  to  Christ. 

ARTICLE   VII. 

Of  tJie  Sacraments. 
"We  believe  that  the  sacraments,  Baptism  and 
the  Lord's  Supper,  are  to  be  used  in  the  Church, 
and  should  be  practiced  by  all  Christians ;  but 
the  mode  of  baptism  and  the  manner  of  ob- 
serving the  Lord's  Supper  are  always  to  be  left 
to  the  judgment  and  understanding  of  each 
individual.  Also,  the  baptism  of  children  shall 
be  left  to  the  judgment  of  believing  parents. 


The  example  of  the  washing  of  feet  is  to  be 
left  to  the  judgment  of  each  one,  to  practice 
or  not. 


ARTICLE  VIII. 

Of  Depravity. 
"We  believe  that  man  is  fallen  from  original 
righteousness,  and  apart  from  the  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  not  only  entirely  destitute 
of  holiness,  but  is  inclined  to  evil,  and  only 
evil,  and  that  continually ;  and  that  except  a 
man  be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom 
of  heaven. 


CONFESSION  OP  FAITH.  17 

AETICLE  IX. 

Of  Jusiijication, 
We  believe  that  penitent  sinners  are  justified 
before  God,  only  by  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  not  by  works ;  yet  that  good  works 
in  Christ  are  acceptable  to  God,  and  spring  out 
of  a  true  and  living  faith. 

AETICLE  X. 

Of  Regeneration  and  Adoption, 
We  believe  that  regeneration  is  the  renewal 
of  the  heart  of  man  after  the  image  of  God, 
through  the  word,  by  the  act  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
by  which  the  believer  receiv^es  the  spirit  of 
adoption  and  is  enabled  to  serve  God  with  the 
will  and  the  affections. 

ARTICLE  XI. 

Of  Sandijication, 
We  believe  that  sanctification  is  the  work  of 
God's  grace,  through  the  word  and  the  Spirit, 
by  which  those  who  have  been  born  again  are 
separated  in  their  acts,  words,  and  thoughts 
from  sin,  and  are  enabled  to  live  unto  God,  and 
to  follow  holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall 
see  the  Lord. 

AETICLE  xn. 

Of  the  Chnstian  Sabbath, 
We  believe  that  the  Christian  Sabbath  is 

2 


18  DISCIPLINE. 

divinely  appointed;  that  it  is  commemorative 
of  our  Lord's  resurrection  from  the  grave,  and 
is  an  emblem  of  our  eternal  rest;  that  it  is 
essential  to  the  welfare  of  the  civil  community, 
and  to  the  permanence  and  growth  of  the 
Christian  church,  and  that  it  should  be  rever- 
ently observed  as  a  day  of  holy  rest  and  of 
social  and  public  worship. 

AETICLB  XIII. 

Of  the  Future  State. 
We  believe  in  the  resurrection  of  the  dead ; 
the  future  general  Judgment;  and  an  eternal 
state  of  rewards,  in  which  the  righteous  dwell 
in  endless  life,  and  the  wicked  in  endless  pun- 
ishment.   

CHAPTEE  III. 

CONSTITUTION. 

In  the  name  of  God,  we,  the  members  of  the 
Church  op  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ, 
for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  for  the  edifying 
of  the  body  of  Christ,  for  the  more  speedy  and 
effectual  sx)read  of  the  Gospel,  and  in  order  to 
produce  and  secure  uniformity  in  faith  and 
practice,  to  define  the  powers  and  business  of 
the  General  Conference  as  recognized  by  this 
Church,  and  to  preserve  in^^olate  the  popular 
will  of  the  membership  of  the  Church,  do  or- 
dain this  Constitution  : 


CONSTITUTION.  19 

AETICLB   I. 

Section  1.  All  ecclesiastical  power  herein 
granted,  to  enact  or  repeal  any  rule  or  rules  of 
discipline,  is  vested  in  a  General  Conference, 
which  shall  consist  of  elders  and  laymen  elected 
in  each  annual-conference  district  throughout 
the  Church.  The  number  and  ratio  of  elders 
and  laymen,  and  the  mode  of  their  election, 
shall  be  determined  by  the  General  Conference. 

Provided,  however,  That  such  elders  shall  have 
stood  as  elders  in  the  conferences  which  they 
are  to  represent  for  no  less  time  than  three 
years  next  preceding  the  meeting  of  the  Gen- 
eral Conference  to  which  they  are  elected ;  and 
that  such  laymen  shall  be  not  less  than  twenty- 
five  years  of  age,  and  shall  have  been  members 
of  the  Church  six  years,  and  members  in  the 
conference  districts  which  they  are  to  represent 
at  least  three  years  next  preceding  the  meeting 
of  the  General  Conference  to  which  they  are 
elected. 

Sec.  2.  The  General  Conference  shall  con- 
vene every  four  years,  and  a  majority  of  the 
whole  number  of  delegates  elected  shall  consti- 
tute a  quorum. 

Sec.  3.  The  ministerial  and  lay  delegates 
shall  deliberate  and  vote  together  as  one  body ; 
but  the  General  Conference  shall  have  power 
to  provide  for  a  vote  by  separate  orders  when- 


20  DISCIPLINE. 

ever  it  deems  it  best  to  do  so;  and  in  such 
cases  the  concurrent  vote  of  both  orders  shall 
be  necessary  to  complete  an  action. 

Sec.  4.  The  General  Conference  shall,  at 
each  session,  elect  bishops  from  among  the 
elders  throughout  the  Church  who  have  stood 
six  years  in  that  capacity. 

Sec.  5.  The  bishops  shall  be  members  ex 
officio  and  presiding  officers  of  the  General 
Conference;  but  in  case  no  bishop  be  pres- 
ent, the  Conference  shall  choose  a  president 
pro  tempore. 

Sec.  6.  The  General  Conference  shall  de- 
termine the  number  and  boundaries  of  the 
annual  conferences. 

Sec.  7.  The  General  Conference  shall  have 
power  to  review  the  records  of  the  annual  con- 
ferences and  see  that  the  business  of  each  an- 
nual conference  is  done  strictly  in  accordance 
with  the  Discipline,  and  approve  or  annul,  as 
the  case  may  require. 

Sec  8.  The  General  Conference  shall  have 
full  control  of  The  United  Brethren  Printing 
Establishment,  The  Home,  Frontier,  and  For- 
eign Missionary  Society,  the  Church-Erection 
Society,  the  General  Sabbath-School  Board,  the 
Board  of  Education,  and  Union  Biblical  Semi- 
nary. It  shall  also  have  power  to  establish  and 
manage  any  other  organization  or  institution 


CONSTITUTION.  21 

within  the  Church  which  it  may  deem  helpful 
in  the  work  of  evangelization. 

Sec.  9.  The  General  Conference  shall  have 
power  to  establish  a  coui't  of  appeals. 

Sec.  10  The  General  Conference  may — two- 
thirds  of  the  members  elected  thereto  concur- 
ring— pr:  pose  changes  in,  or  additions  to,  the 
Confession  of  Faith;  provided,  that  the  concur- 
rence of  three-fourths  of  the  annual  conferences 
shall  be  necessary  to  their  final  ratification. 

ABTICLE  II. 

The  General  Conference  shall  have  power,  as 
provided  in  Article  I.,  Section  1,  of  this  Consti- 
tution, to  make  rules  and  regulations  for  the 
Church;  nevertheless,  it  shall  be  subject  to  the 
following  limitations  and  restrictions : 

Section  1.  The  General  Conference  shall  en- 
act no  rulo  or  ordinance  which  will  change  or 
destroy  the  Confession  of  Faith,  and  shall  estab- 
lish no  standard  of  doctrine  contrary  to  the 
Confession  of  Faith. 

Sec.  2.  The  General  Conference  shall  enact 
no  rule  whicli  will  destroy  the  itinerant  plan. 

Sec.  3.  The  General  Conference  shall  enact 
no  rule  which  will  deprive  local  preachers  of 
their  votes  in  the  annual  conferences  to  which 
they  severally  belong. 

Sec.  4.  Tlie  General  Conference  shall  enact 
no  rule  which  will  abolish  the  right  of  appeal. 


22  DISCIPLINE. 

ARTICLE  III. 

Section  1.  We  declare  that  all  secret  com- 
binations which  Infringe  upon  the  rights  of 
those  outside  their  organization,  and  whose 
principles  and  practices  are  injurious  to  the 
Christian  character  of  their  members,  are  con- 
trary to  the  word  of  God,  and  that  Christians 
ought  to  have  no  connection  with  them. 

The  General  Conference  shall  have  power  to 
enact  such  rules  of  discipline  with  respect  to 
such  combinations  as  in  its  judgment  it  may- 
deem  proper. 

Sec.  2.  AYe  declare  that  human  slavery  is  a 
violation  of  human  rights,  and  contrary  to  the 
word  of  God.  It  shall  therefore  in  no  wise  be 
tolerated  among  us, 

article  IV. 

The  right,  title,  interest,  and  claim  of  all 
property,  both  real  and  personal,  of  whatever 
name  or  description,  obtained  by  purchase  or 
otherwise,  by  any  person  or  persons,  for  the 
use,  benefit,  and  behoof  of  the  Church  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ,  are  hereby  fully 
recognized,  and  held  to  vest  in  the  Church 
aforesaid. 

article  v. 

Section  1.  Amendments  to  this  Constitution 
may  be  proposed  by  any  General  Conference,— 


23 


two-thirds  of  the  members  elected  thereto  con- 
curring,— which  amendments  shall  be  submitted 
to  a  vote  of  the  membership  throughout  the 
Church,  under  regulations  authorized  by  said 
conference. 

A  majority  of  all  the  votes  cast  upon  any 
submitted  amendment  shall  be  necessary  to  its 
final  ratification. 

Sec.  2.  The  foregoing  amended  Constitution 
shall  be  in  force  from  and  after  the  first  Mon- 
day after  the  second  Thursday  of  May,  1889, 
upon  ofiicial  proclamation  thereof  by  the  Board 
of  Bishops;  provided,  that  the  General  Confer- 
ence elected  for  1889  shall  be  the  lawful  legisla- 
tive body  under  the  amended  Constitution, 
with  full  power,  until  its  final  adjournment, 
to  enact  such  rules  as  this  amended  Constitu- 
tion authorizes. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
MEMBERS. 
Section  I. 

RECEPTION   of   MEMBERS. 

1.  "When  at  any  meeting  there  are  persons 
who  desire  to  unite  with  the  Church,  the  oflSci- 
ating  minister  shall  call  the  applicants  forward 
and  address  them  as  follows : 

Dear  Friends:    We  greet  you  as  you  come 


24  DISCIPLINE. 

seeking  admission  into  the  church  which  our 
Savior  purchased  with  his  own  blood,  and  re- 
joice with  you  that  through  the  grace  of  God 
you  have  been  brought  to  a  knowledge  of  the 
truth,  and  have  been  made  partakers  of  his 
great  salvation.  The  privileges  you  seek  are 
above  price,  and  the  duties  enjoined  are  solemn. 
It  is  proper  that  you  publicly  confess  your 
faith  and  avow  your  purpose  by  answering  the 
following  questions : 

Questions  to  Applicants. 

2.  (1.)  Do  you  believe  the  Bible  to  be  the 
word  of  God,  and  that  therein  only  is  contained 
the  knowledge  of  the  way  of  salvation  ? 

(2.)  Have  you  experienced  the  pardon  of 
your  sins,  and  have  you  now  peace  with  God  ? 

(3.)  Are  you  determined  by  the  grace  of 
God  to  follow  (Christ,  renouncing  the  world  and 
all  ungodliness,  seeking  to  lead  a  life  of  holiness 
and  devotion  to  God  and  his  cause  ? 

(4.)  Are  you  willing  to  be  governed  by  our 
church  discipline,  and  will  you  contribute  to 
the  support  of  the  gospel  as  God  prospers 
you? 

(5.)    Have  you  been  baptized  ? 

[If  the  answer  to  this  question  be  in  the 
negative,  then  the  applicant  shall  be  required 
to  attend  to  the  duty  as  soon  as  practicable.] 


MEMBERS.  25 

Acceptance  of  Applicants. 

3.  If  the  persons  answer  the  above  questions 
in  the  affirmative,  and  no  lawful  objections  be 
made  by  any  member,  then  the  preacher  shall 
give  his  right  hand  to  such  persons  as  members 
of  our  Church,  and  record  their  names  on  the 
church  book;  provided,  however,  that  where  a 
local  church  deems  it  advisable  for  its  protec- 
tion against  imposition,  a  committee  may  be 
appointed,  who,  together  with  the  pastor,  may 
make  inquiry  as  to  the  advisability  of  admitting 
such  applicants  to  membership  in  the  Church 
according  to  the  foregoing  requirements. 

Receiving  Persons  from  Other  Churches. 

4.  When  persons  come  to  us  with  certificates 
of  good  standing  in  other  recognized  evangelical 
churches,  they  shall  answer  the  fourth  question 
affirmatively,  and  the  hand  of  fellowship  may 
be  given  them  as  in  other  cases. 

Seekers. 

5.  Any  persons  giving  evidence  that  they 
are  sincerely  seeking  the  Lord,  may  be  re- 
ceived under  the  watch-care  of  the  Church  by 
having  their  names  placed  upon  the  church 
book,  but  shall  not  be  reported  as  members, 
nor  shall  they  have  a  vote  in  the  Ch  urch  until 
they  shall  have  conformed  to  the  conditions  in 
the  section  relating  to  the  reception  of  members. 


26  DISCIPLINE. 

6.  If  any  person  thus  received  under  the 
watch-care  of  the  Church  shall  cease  to  mani- 
fest a  desire  to  seek  the  Lord,  the  preacher  in 
charge,  by  the  consent  of  the  local  church  or 
the  ofl&cial  board,  may,  at  any  time,  after  per- 
sonal but  unsuccessful  labor  for  his  salvation, 
drop  the  name  of  such  seeker. 

PreacJiei'^s  liesponsihility . 

7.  Any  preacher  refusing  or  neglecting  to 
ask  the  foregoing  questions,  or  who  shall  re- 
ceive members  into  the  Church  in  violation  of 
this  order,  shall  be  answerable  for  the  same  to 
the  conference  of  which  he  is  a  member. 

Section  II. 

DUTIES  of  MEMBEBS. 

Confession. 

1.  All  members  of  this  Church  shall  acknowl- 
edge and  confess  that  they  believe  the  Bible  to 
be  the  word  of  God ;  that  they  will  henceforth 
strive,  with  all  their  hearts,  to  seek  their  eternal 
welfare  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  work  out  their  sal- 
vation with  fear  and  trembling,  to  the  end  that 
they  may  be  able  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come. 

Means  of  Grace. 

2.  Every  member  shall  endeavor  to  lead  a 
godly  life;  observe  the  ordinances  of  God's 
house,  namely,  baptism  and  the  remembrance 
of  the  sufierings  and  death  of  our  Lord  Jesus 


MEMBERS.  27 

Christ;  be  diligent  in  prayer,  particularly  in 
private,  and  for  liis  own  edification  attend, 
when  practicable,  all  our  prayer-  and  class- 
meetings,  and  meetings  for  public  worship. 

Family  Piety. 

3.  Heads  of  families  should  never  omit  to 
pray  with  their  families,  morning  and  evening, 
and  to  set  them  a  good  example  in  all  the 
Christian  virtues. 

Singing. 

4.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  the  people  of  God  to 
sing  his  praises,  and  to  sing  them  in  the  great 
congregation  as  well  as  in  the  private  circle.  It 
is  therefore  earnestly  recommended  to  all  our 
people  that  they  cultivate  vocal  music,  so  that 
the  singing  in  our  congregations  may  be  im- 
proved. As  a  help  to  this  end,  let  all  our  people 
provide  themselves  with  hymn-books  for  use  in 
public  and  social  worship. 

Love  to  Others. 

5.  Every  one  should  strive  to  walk  as  in  the 
presence  of  God,  and  accustom  himself  to  a 
close  communion  with  God  in  all  his  employ- 
ments. He  should  never  speak  evil  of  his 
fellow  men,  but  practice  love  toward  friend  and 
foe,  do  good  to  the  poor,  and  endeavor  to  be  a 
follower  of  Jesus  Christ  indeed. 


28  DISCIPLINE. 

Sahhath  Observance, 

6.  Every  one  shall  keep  the  Sabbath  day 
holy,  as  required  in  the  word  of  God ;  neither 
buy  nor  sell,  but  spend  the  same  in  exercises  of 
devotion,  in  reading  and  hearing  the  word  of 
God,  and  in  singing  spiritual  hymns  to  the 
honor  and  glory  of  Grod. 

Obedience  to  Government. 

7.  It  is  the  duty  of  every  member  to  lead  a 
quiet,  peaceable,  and  godly  life  among  men ;  as 
it  becomes  a  Christian  to  live  in  peace,  and  be 
subject  to  the  higher  or  ruling  powers,  as  the 
word  of  God  requires. 

Sabbath  Scliools. 

8.  It  is  the  duty  of  our  members  to  encour- 
age our  Sabbath  schools  by  their  presence  when 
practicable,  and  always  to  give  them  their  aid 
and  influence. 

Young  People^s  Society. 

9.  It  is  the  duty  of  the  young  members  of 
the  Church,  when  possible,  to  join  the  young 
people's  society,  and  by  faithfulness  to  its 
requirements  seek  to  develop  Christian  char- 
acter and  efficiency  in  Christian  work. 

Support  of  the  Gospel. 

10.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  members  of  the 
Church  to  pay  toward  the  support  of  the  itin- 


MEMBERS.  29 

erant  ministry,  quarterly,  or  oftener,  in  pro- 
portion to  their  ability,  as  God  has  prospered 
them;  for  the  Lord  hath  ordained  that  they 
who  preach  the  gospel  shall  live  of  the  gospel 
(I.  Cor.  9:  14;  I.  Tim.  5:  18).  It  is  earnestly 
recommended  to  all  our  people  that  they  prac- 
tice the  Bible  method  of  weekly  contributions. 
"  Upon  the  first  day  of  the  week  let  every  one 
of  you  lay  by  him  in  store,  as  God  hath  pros- 
pered him"  ( I.  Cor.  16:  2). 

Support  of  General  Interests. 

11.  It  is  also  the  duty  of  all  our  members  to 
contribute,  according  to  their  ability,  to  the 
support  of  the  various  benevolent  interests  of 
the  Church. 

Receiving  of  the  Pastor. 

2.  It  is  the  duty  of  all  districts,  stations, 
circuits,  and  missions  to  cheerfully  receive  the 
preachers  appointed  by  the  stationing  commit- 
tees of  the  respective  annual  conferences. 

Care  of  the  Poor. 

13.  Each  member  of  our  Church  should 
willingly  and  freely  contribute  quarterly,  or 
oftener  if  need  be,  as  God  has  prospered  him 
(I.  Cor.  16 :  2),  to  the  support  of  the  helpless  poor. 

14.  When  it  is  known  by  any  of  our  class-lead- 
ers that  there  are  poor  members  of  the  class,  who 


30  DISCIPLIAE. 

by  sickness,  accident,  or  other  unavoidable  cir- 
cumstances, have  been  brought  to  want,  it  shall 
be  the  duty  of  the  leader  in  charge  to  wait  upon 
the  class,  or  to  appoint  some  one  to  do  so,  to  ask 
such  aid,  money,  clothing,  or  produce,  as  the  cir- 
cumstances may  require.  Should  any  one  class 
be  unable  to  relieve  its  poor,  this  shall  then  be 
made  known  to  the  pastor,  whose  duty  it  shall 
be  to  inform  the  different  classes  on  his  charge ; 
and  if  it  should  so  happen  that  any  one  charge 
should  be  unable  to  meet  the  wants  of  the 
poor,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  presiding  elder 
to  present  the  matter  to  the  quarterly  confer- 
ences of  the  different  charges,  so  that  the  un- 
avoidably poor  of  our  Church  may  be  provided 
for.    ( I.  John  3:17;  Psalm  12 :  1,  2.) 

Non-conformity  to  the  World. 

15.  Inasmuch  as  the  Lord  has  commanded 
us  not  to  be  conformed  to  this  world  (Rom. 
12:  2),  to  lay  apart  all  filthiness  and  superfluity 
of  naughtiness  ( James  1 :  21 ),  and  as  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Christian  religion,  as  taught  by 
both  the  precepts  and  example  of  the  meek  and 
adorable  Savior,  are  in  strict  and  perfect  accord- 
ance with  these  commandments,  we  therefore 
humbly  beseech  and  admonish  the  members 
of  our  Church  to  observe  these  divine  precepts. 
"  In  like  manner  also,  that  women  adorn  them- 


MEMBERS.  31 

selves  in  modest  apparel,  with  shamefacedness 
and  sobriety;  not  with  braided  hair,  or  gold,  or 
pearls,  or  costly  array;  but  (which  becometh 
women  professing  godliness )  with  good  works  " 
(I.  Tim.  2:9, 10;;  and  "whose  adorning  let  it 
not  be  that  outward  adorning  of  plaiting  the 
hair,  and  of  wearing  of  gold,  or  of  putting  on  of 
apparel ;  but  let  it  be  the  hidden  man  of  the 
heart,  in  that  which  is  not  corruptible,  even  the 
ornament  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which  is 
in  the  sight  of  God  of  great  price."  (I.  Peter 
3:3,4.) 

Necessity  of  Union  Among  Ourselves. 

16.  Let  us  be  deeply  sensible  of  the  byH  of  a 
division  in  principle,  spirit,  or  practice,  and  of 
its  dreadful  consequences  to  ourselves  and 
others.  If  we  are  united,  what  can  stand  be- 
fore us?  If  we  are  divided,  we  shall  injure 
ourselves,  the  work  of  God,  and  the  souls  of 
men.    To  this  end: 

(1.)  Let  us  be  deeply  convinced  of  the  abso- 
lute necessity  of  union. 

(2.)  Let  us  pray  earnestly  for  one  another, 
and  speak  truly  and  freely  to  one  another. 

(3.)  When  we  meet,  let  us  never  part  with- 
out prayer,  if  prayer  is  at  all  practicable. 

(4.)  Let  us  take  great  care  not  to  despise  one 
another's  gifts. 


32  DISCIPLINE. 

(5.)  Let  us  never  speak  lightly  of  one 
another. 

(6.)  Let  us  defend  one  another's  character 
in  everything,  as  far  as  is  consistent  with  truth. 

(7.)  Let  US  labor  in  honor,  each  preferring 
another  before  himself. 

(8.)  Let  us  seriously  examine  the  causes, 
evils,  and  cures  of  heart  and  church  divisions. 

Duty  of  Obedience. 

17.  The  foregoing  rules  are  drawn  up  for  the 
better  regulation  of  our  Church ;  and  we  believe 
they  are  founded  upon  the  word  of  God,  and 
that  their  observance  is  incumbent  upon  all 
members.  Should  any  violate  or  habitually 
neglect  these  rules,  they  shall  be,  by  their  re- 
spective class-leaders,  admonished  to  reforma- 
tion ;  and  should  they  not  reform,  they  shall  be 
suspended  or  expelled,  as  the  case  may  require, 
by  vote  of  the  local  church  or  official  board. 

Section  III. 

TRIAL  OF  MEMBERS. 

Personal  Trespass. 

1.  When  members  trespass  against  one  an- 
other, let  the  following  directions  be  followed : 

"  If  thy  brother  shall  trespass  against  thee,  go 
and  tell  him  his  fault  between  thee  and  him 
alone ;  if  he  shall  hear  thee,  thou  hast  gained 


MEMBERS.  33 

thy  brother.  But  if  he  will  not  hear  thee,  then 
take  with  thee  one  or  two  more.  And  if  he 
shall  neglect  to  hear  them,  tell  it  unto  the 
church ;  but  if  he  neglect  to  hear  the  church, 
let  him  be  unto  thee  as  a  heathen  man  and  a 
publican  " ;  that  is,  he  shall  be  expelled  by  the 
local  church  or  official  board. 

Immoral  Cmiduct. 

2.  In  case  of  members  accused  of  immoral 
conduct,  the  class  or  official  board  shall  appoint 
one  or  more  to  visit  the  accused  person,  and,  if 
possible,  reclaim  him;  but  if  unsuccessful,  and 
the  guilt  be  denied,  he  shall  be  tried  by  the 
class  to  which  he  belongs,  or  a  committee 
thereof,  chosen  by  the  parties  concerned,  with 
the  preacher  in  charge  of  the  circuit  or  station 
as  chairman ;  and  if  found  guilty,  the  accused 
shall  be  expelled,  by  a  vote  of  the  local  church 
or  official  board,  unless  satisfaction  be  given. 
If  the  accused  refuse  to  choose  his  committee- 
man when  properly  notified,  the  quarterly  con- 
ference shall  choose  a  second  person,  and  these 
two  a  third,  which  committee  shall  try  the  case 
and  decide.  Yet  cases  may  occur  where  it 
would  be  expedient  to  choose  a  committee 
from  some  other  class  or  classes  than  the  one 
to  which  the  parties  belong,  in  which  case  it 
shall  be  lawful  to  do  so.    Also,  an  elder  may  be 


34  risciPLiNB. 

chosen  as  chairman,  should  the  preacher  in 
charge  deem  this  to  be  best.  Should  any  mem- 
ber be  dissatisfied  with  the  decision,  an  appeal 
may  be  had  to  the  quarterly  conference,  by 
giving  notice  thereof  to  the  preacher  in  charge, 
or  secretary  of  the  trial.  (  See  section  on  "  Ap- 
peals." )  In  such  case,  however,  the  same  per- 
sons shall  not  sit  in  judgment  on  the  same  case. 

Disobedience  to  the  Order  of  the  Church. 

3.  In  cases  of  neglect  of  duty  of  any  kind, 
imprudent  conduct,  indulging  sinful  tempers  or 
words,  or  disobedience  to  the  order  and  disci- 
pline of  the  Church :  First,  let  private  reproof 
be  given  by  the  preacher  or  leader;  and  if 
there  be  an  acknowledgment  of  the  fault, 
proper  humiliation,  and  a  promise  to  reform, 
the  person  may  be  borne  with.  On  a  second 
offense,  the  preacher  or  leader  shall  take  with 
him  one  or  two  faithful  members.  On  a  third 
oflFense,  let  the  case  be  brought  before  the  local 
church,  or  class,  or  a  select  committee ;  and  if 
there  be  no  satisfactory  humiliation,  the  of- 
fender shall  be  expelled  by  vote  of  the  local 
church  or  ofiicial  board.  In  case  the  accused 
shall  deny  his  guilt  and  demand  a  trial,  and 
there  be  a  reasonable  doubt  or  question  about 
his  guilt,  he  shall  be  tried  by  a  committee,  and 
if  found  guilty,  he  shall  be  expelled.    In  case  of 


MEMBERS.  35 

trial  under  this  clause,  the  leader  shall  act  in 
behalf  of  the  local  church;  or  if  the  leader 
be  the  offender,  the  steward  shall  act  as  prose- 
cutor. 

Disputes. 

4.  In  case  of  a  dispute  between  members  or 
preachers,  the  preacher  to  whom  it  shall  be 
known  shall  inquire  into  the  circumstances  of 
the  case,  and,  if  necessary,  shall  recommend  to 
the  contending  parties  a  reference  to  a  commit- 
tee, consisting  of  one  arbiter  chosen  by  the 
plaintiff,  and  another  by  the  defendant,  and  a 
third  by  these  two;  then  these  three  are  to 
decide.  But  if  the  preacher  to  whom  the  dis- 
pute is  known  shall  refuse  or  neglect  to  act, 
then  the  quarterly  conference  shall  appoint 
some  one  to  carry  out  the  rule ;  and  if  either  or 
both  disputants  refuse  to  choose  an  arbiter,  the 
quarterly  conference  shall  appoint  the  first  and 
second,  and  these  two  a  third,  who  shall  hear 
the  case  and  decide. 

Bight  of  Appeal. 

5.  Should  either  party  be  dissatisfied  with 
the  decision,  an  appeal  may  be  taken  to 
the  next  quarterly  conference  for  a  second 
arbitration,  where  each  party  shall  choose  two 
arbiters,  and  the  four  shall  choose  a  fifth,  a 
decision  of  a  majority  of  whom  shall  be  final. 


36  DISCIPLINE. 

Any  member  refusing  to  abide  by  this  decision 
shall  be  expelled  without  further  trial. 

Going  to  Law  Forbidden. 

6.  Every  member  refusing,  in  case  of  debt  or 
dispute,  to  refer  the  matter  to  arbitration  when 
recommended  to  him  hy  a  preacher  or  leader, 
or  who  shall  enter  into  a  lawsuit  with  another 
member  before  these  measures  are  taken,  shall 
be  dealt  with  as  in  case  of  other  immoralities, 
except  when  the  case  is  of  such  a  nature  as  to 
require  and  justify  a  process  at  law,  as  in  actiug 
as  administrators,  or  when  a  member  is  in  dan- 
ger, by  delay,  of  suffering  a  loss  of  property. 

Record  of   Tnals 

7.  A  faithful  record  of  the  proceedings  of 
any  church  trial  conducted  in  a  class  shall  be 
kept  by  the  class-leader  in  a  book  provided  for 
that  purpose ;  and  it  shall  be  his  duty,  in  case 
of  an  appeal,  to  furnish  his  record  to  the  quar- 
terly conference. 

Order  in  Trials. 

8.  All  church  trials  shall  be  conducted  in 
a  consistent  Christian  manner,  without  the 
employment  of  magistrates  and  attorneys  to 
administer  oaths  and  conduct  investigations. 


MEMBERS.  37 

Section  IV. 

TBANSFER    AND    DISMISSAL    OF    MEMBEKS. 

Transfers. 

1.  When  members  of  our  Church  move  from 
one  field  to  another,  they  shall  obtain  a  certifi- 
cate of  transfer  by  a  majority  vote  of  the  class 
to  which  they  belong,  signed  by  a  preacher  or 
leader,  except  where  they  are  not  in  reach  of  a 
class ;  in  which  case  any  of  our  preachers  may 
give  a  certificate  to  such  persons  if  they  are 
known  to  be  in  good  standing ;  and  the  pastor 
shall  notify  the  preacher  in  charge  nearest  the 
point  to  which  the  member  moves.  And  in 
case  a  member  moves  from  a  charge  and  fails 
to  report  to  the  class  of  which  he  is  a  member 
annually,  he  may  be  marked  removed. 

Amenability  of  Certified  Members. 

2.  Any  person  receiving  a  certificate  of 
membership  is  amenable  to  the  class  from 
which  he  receives  it,  until  he  deposits  his 
certificate  with  some  other  local  church. 

Limit  of  Certificate. 

3.  A  member  who  receives  a  certificate  is 
required  to  present  it  to  some  local  church,  or 
return  it  to  the  class  by  which  it  was  issued, 
within  eighteen  months,  provided  that  the 
holder  of  the  certificate  is  within  reach  of  a 


38  DISCIPLINE. 

local  church;  otherwise  it  shall  become  null 
and  void. 

Dismissal. 

4.  If  any  of  our  members  desire  to  leave  the 
Church,  and  their  Christian  life  has  been  good, 
and  they  have  settled  all  of  their  subscriptions 
and  assessments,  they  shall  receive  an  honor- 
able dismissal  from  the  Church  by  a  vote  of  the 
local  church,  signed  by  the  pastor. 

MemhersMp  of  Preachers. 

5.  An  annual-conference  member  may  be  re- 
ceived into  a  class  on  his  ministerial  creden- 
tials, provided  said  credentials  are  held  in  force 
by  the  conference  to  which  he  is  amenable. 


CHAPTER  V. 

GOVERNMENT  OF   THE   CHURCH. 

Section  I. 

CLASSES. 

Election  of  Leader. 
1.  A  class  shall  consist  of  five  or  more  mem- 
bers, who  shall  annually  elect  one  member 
from  their  own  or  some  other  class,  to  be  called 
their  leader;  except  that  in  the  organization  of 
children's  classes  the  pastor  shall  appoint  a 
leader.  This  election  shall  be  held  immediately 
preceding  the  annual  conference. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  39 

Division  of  Classes. 

2.  In  any  case  where  a  division  may  be 
deemed  advisable,  classes  shall  be  divided  by 
a  committee,  consisting  of  the  preacher  in 
charge  and  one  or  more  brethren,  elected  by 
the  local  church. 

Disbanding  Classes. 

3.  In  case  it  becomes  impracticable  to  keep 
up  an  organization  at  any  place,  the  members 
at  such  place  shall  be  required  to  join  the 
nearest  class  within  twelve  months ;  and  any- 
one failing  to  do  so  may  be  dropped. 

Section  II. 

CLASS-LEADERS. 

Qualifications. 

1.  It  shall  be  the  leader's  duty  to  live  a  pious 
life  and  set  a  godly  example  before  his  class ; 
carefully  to  study  the  Holy  Scriptures,  fully 
qualifying  himself  for  the  faithful  performance 
of  his  duties  aa  a  leader  and  counselor  of  his  class. 

Holding  Meetings. 

2.  It  shall  be  his  duty  to  meet  his  class,  in 
class-  or  prayer-meeting,  as  often  as  practicable, 
to  speak  to  them  concerning  their  spiritual 
welfare,  and  exhort  them  to  unity  and  love. 
He  shall  extend  the  freedom  of  our  prayer-  and 
class-meetings  to  all  sincere  and  well-disposed 
persons  who  may  desire  to  attend  them. 


40  DISCIPLINE. 

Visiting  the  Sick  and  Delinquent. 

3.  When  any  of  his  members  are  sick,  or 
delinquent' in  the  performance  of  their  duties, 
he  shall  visit  them  and  labor  with  them,  as 
circumstances  may  require. 

Class  Record. 

4.  He  shall  keep  a  record  of  the  members 
of  the  class,  and  of  all  deaths,  expulsions,  and 
removals,  in  a  book  provided  for  that  purpose. 

Dismissal  for  Delinquency. 

5.  Any  class-leader  failing  to  discharge  these 
duties  may,  on  complaint,  be  removed  by  the 
quarterly  conference. 

Section  III. 

CLASS  STEWARDS. 

1.  Every  class  shall  have  one  or  more  stew- 
ards, who  shall  be  chosen  as  provided  in  the 
article  on  "Annual  Reorganization,"  page  84. 

Collections  for  Pastors. 

2.  The  steward  shall  collect  contributions 
quarterly,  or  oftener,  for  the  support  of  the 
pastor.  He  shall  keep  an  accurate  account  of 
the  amount  paid  by  each  member  of  the  class, 
in  a  book  provided  for  that  purpose,  and  report 
the  same,  with  name  and  amount,  to  each  quar- 
terly conference  or  session  of  the  official  board. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.        41 

Elements  for  tJie  LorcVs  Supper, 

3.  It  shall  also  be  his  duty  to  provide  ine 
elements  for  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per, always  securing  unfermented  wine. 

Diwiissal  for  Delinquency. 

4.  For  the  faithful  discharge  of  his  duties  as 
steward,  he  shall  be  accountable  to  the  quar- 
terly conference,  which  shall  have  power  to 
dismiss  him  for  official  delinquency. 

Presiding-Elder  Steward, 

5.  Where  it  may  be  thought  advisable,  the 
pastor  may  appoint  one  or  more  stewards  for 
each  class  of  the  charge  to  collect  the  presidmg 
elder's  salary,  who  shall  keep  an  accurate  ac- 
count thereof,  and  report  the  same  to  the  quar- 
terly conference. 

Section  IV. 
official  boahds  fob  stations. 

1.  The  properly  recognized  members  of  the 
quarterly  conference  shall  be  the  members  of 
the  official  board. 

2.  The  pastor  shall  be  the  president  of  the 
board;  in  his  absence  one  of  the  members  shall 
be  elected  president  pro  tern.  The  sessions  shall 
begin  and  close  with  devotional  exercises. 

3.  It  shall  elect  a  secretary,  who  shall  keep  a 
record  of  its  proceedings. 


42  DISCIPLINE. 

4.  The  general  steward,  elected  by  the  quar- 
terly conference,  may  be  also  the  church  treas- 
urer. The  treasurer  shall  receive  all  moneys  that 
have  been  collected  from  class  stewards,  or  other- 
wise, and  receipt  therefor,  and  said  treasurer  shall 
pay  out  all  moneys  in  his  hands  as  the  official 
board  may  direct. 

5.  It  shall  receive  statements  of  all  subscrip- 
tions and  moneys  received  and  disbursed  for 
the  interest  of  the  station ;  and  all  persons  in- 
trusted with  moneys  or  subscriptions,  whether 
trustees,  stewards,  the  treasurer,  or  others,  shall 
report  the  same  to  the  official  meeting  as  soon 
as  possible. 

6.  It  shall  receive  from  each  class-leader  a 
statement  in  reference  to  the  prosperity  of  reli- 
gion in  his  class. 

7.  The  official  board  shall  be  the  estimating 
committee  of  the  charge,  unless  otherwise  spe- 
cifically ordered  by  the  quarterly  conference; 
and  said  official  board  shall  meet  the  pastor  as 
soon  as  practicable  after  the  annual  conference, 
and  make  out  an  estimate  of  the  expenses  of 
the  station  for  the  year,— the  preacher's  salary, 
the  presiding  elder's  salary,  sexton  hire,  cost 
of  light,  fuel,  insurance,  and  any  other  ordinary 
expenses  incident  to  the  year's  general  account. 
It  shall  also  determine  how  these  funds  are  to 
be   secured, — whether  by  assessment  or  sub- 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  43 

scription,  and  whether  by  envelope  collections 
made  weekly,  or  by  the  class  stewards,  or  both  ; 
what  per  cent,  is  to  be  devoted  to  the  preacher's 
and  presiding  elder's  salaries,  and  what  per 
cent,  to  the  current  expenses  of  the  charge. 

8.  The  official  board  shall  revise  the  church 
records,  as  provided  in  the  article  on  that  sub- 
ject, page  83. 

9.  The  official  board  shall  meet  once  a  mont  1 1 , 
and  may  meet  ofteuer  if  circumstances  require  it. 

Revievj  by  Quarterly  Conference. 

10.  The  acts  of  the  official  board  shall  be 
submitted  to  the  quarterly  conference  for  exam- 
ination and  approval. 

Section  V. 

QUAKTERLY  CONFERENCE. 

Members. 

1.  The  members  of  the  quarterly  conference 
shall  be  the  presiding  elder  of  the  district,  the 
preacher  in  charge,  and  all  the  properly  recog- 
nized preachers,  exhorters,  leaders,  class  stew- 
ards, the  general  steward,  the  church  treasurer, 
trustees  of  meeting  and  parsonage  houses,  super- 
intendents of  Sabbath  schools,  and  presidents  of 
young  people's  societies  organized  in  harmony 
with  the  provision  of  Discipline  controlling  the 
organization  of  such  societies  (when  said  trus- 


44  DISCIPLINE. 

tees,  and  superintendents,  and  presidents  of 
young  people's  societies  are  members  of  the 
Charch  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ),  who 
reside  within  the  bounds  of  the  circuit,  station, 
or  mission,  or  hold  membership  therein.  Such 
members  as  are  present  at  any  regular  meeting 
shall  constitute  a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of 
business.  The  quarterly  conference  shall  be 
opened  and  closed  with  prayer. 

Duties  of  the  Quarterly  Conference. 

2.  In  the  absence  of  the  presiding  elder,  the 
quarterly  conference  shall  elect  a  chairman  pro 
tern.,  whose  official  acts  shall  be  valid. 

3.  It  shall  elect  a  secretary,  whose  duty  it 
shall  be  to  keep  a  correct  record  of  all  its  pro- 
ceedings in  a  book  provided  for  that  purpose, 
in  which  the  names  of  all  the  members  compos- 
ing the  said  conference  shall  be  entered. 

4.  It  shall  make  inquiry  into  the  moral  de- 
portment and  official  character  of  all  its  members. 

5.  In  stations,  it  shall  elect,  at  the  last  quar- 
terly conference  of  the  year,  a  church  treasurer, 
wherever  desirable,  who  shall  be  a  member  of 
the  quarterly  conference. 

6.  It  shall  enforce  discipline  in  all  the  classes 
under  its  jurisdiction,  but  in  no  case  disorganize 
a  class  unless  the  preliminary  steps  have  been 
taken  as  required  in  Chapter  V.,  Section  I.,  of 
the  Discipline. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  45 

7.  It  shall  hear  the  reports  of  the  stewards, 
and  make  settlenients  with  the  pastor. 

Appeals  and  Trials, 

8.  It  shall  receive  and  try  all  appeals,  refer- 
ences, and  complaints  that  may  come  regularly 
before  it ;  but  no  member  of  quarterly  confer- 
ence can  be  suspended  or  expelled  from  the 
Church  prior  to  a  committee  trial. 

Licensing  of  Preachers. 

9.  It  shall  grant  license  to  exhort  or  preach 
to  such  persons  as  may  have  been  recommended 
by  a  two- thirds  vote  of  the  class  of  which  they  are 
members ;  provided^  however^  that  none  shall  re- 
ceive license  who  cannot  give  satisfactory  evi- 
dence of  their  call,  religious  experience,  sound- 
ness in  doctrine,  and  attachment  to  our  Church 
and  government.  All  applicants  for  quarterly- 
conference  license  to  preach  shall  be  examined 
by  quarterly  conference  according  to  Chapter 
VI.,  Section  II.,  of  Discipline. 

10.  It  shall  renew  the  license  of  exhorters 
and  quarterly -conference  preachers  annually, 
if  they  are  found  worthy,  and  arrange  a  plan  for 
the  local  preachers  to  preach  regularly  at  stated 
places,  as  the  quarterly  conference  may  direct. 

Becommending  to  the  Annual  Conference, 

11.  After  such  licentiate   preachers  have 


46  DISCIPLINE. 

stood  in  that  capacity  one  or  more  years,  and 
have  completed  the  course  of  reading  required 
by  Disciphne,  the  quarterly  conference  may 
recommend  them  to  the  annual  conference. 
Permanent  License. 

12.  Quarterlj^-conference  preachers,  having 
passed  the  course  of  reading  required  by  Disci- 
pline, may  be  granted  a  permanent  license,  not 
subject  to  annual  renewal. 

Excusing  from  Examination. 

13.  The  quarterly  conference  may  excuse 
from  the  course  of  reading  a  local  preacher  who 
has  attained  the  age  of  fifty  years. 

Class  Connection, 

14.  All  exhorters  and  quarterly-  and  annual- 
conference  preachers  are  required  to  join  some 
convenient  class,  and  upon  neglect  or  refusal  to 
do  so  shall  lose  their  official  relation. 

General  Steward. 

15.  The  quarterly  conference,  at  its  last  ses- 
sion in  each  year,  shall  appoint  a  steward  for 
the  charge,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  assist  the 
class  stewards  in  securing  the  pastor's  salary, 
and  receive  and  audit  the  stewards'  reports. 

Estimating  Covimittee. 

16.  In  case  of  circuits  or  missions,  the  quar- 
terly conference  shall,  at  its  last  session  for 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.       47 

the  year,  appoint  an  estimating  committee, 
which  committee  shall  meet  at  the  time  and 
place  specified  by  the  preacher  appointed  to 
the  charge  for  tiie  ensuing  year,  and  make  out 
an  estimate  of  the  regular  expenses,  and  appor- 
tion the  same  among  the  different  appoint- 
ments according  to  their  respective  ability,  and 
report  the  same  to  the  quarterly  conference  for 
ratification. 

Apportionment  to  the  Members. 

17.  Each  class,  after  receiving  its  apportion- 
ment, shall,  as  soon  as  convenient,  on  the  call 
of  the  leader  or  steward,  hold  a  meeting  and 
appoint  a  committee  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to 
make  a  distribution  of  the  apportionment  to 
the  membei-s  severally  according  to  their  ability 
to  be  paid  quarterly,  or_ weekly;  provided,  Koio- 
ever,  that  it  shall  be  the  privilege  of  any  class  to 
collect  the  amount  apportioned  to  it  by  sub' 
scription  or  otherwise. 

Place  0/  Meeting. 

18.  The  quarterly  conference  shall  deter- 
mine where  its  next  session  shall  be  held. 

Appeals. 

19.  Any  exhorter  or  preacher  dissatisfied 
with  the  decision  of  a  quarterly  conference 
shall,  within   thirty  days  after  the  quarterly 


48  DISCIPLINE. 

conference,  notify  the  secretary,  in  writing,  of 
his  intention  to  appeal,  together  with  his 
reasons  for  so  doing;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty 
of  the  secretary  to  take  or  send  a  certified  copy 
of  the  proceedings,  the  notification,  and  reasons 
assigned,  to  the  annual  conference. 

20.  In  all  cases  of  appeal,  whether  to  the  quar- 
terly or  annual  conference,  or  to  the  Court  of 
Appeals,  the  course  laid  down  in  the  section  on 
"Appeals"  is  the  proper  course  to  be  pursued. 

Section  VI. 

ANNUAL  conference. 

Members. 

1.  The  annual  conference  shall  consist  of  all 
the  elders  and  licentiate  preachers  who  have 
been  duly  received  by  the  conference,  and  one 
layman  from  each  charge  in  the  conference, 
who  shall  be  elected  by  the  quarterly  confer- 
ence, at  the  third  or  last  session  in  the  year. 
The  laymen  thus  chosen  shall  have  all  the 
privileges  and  rights  of  ministers  in  the  annual 
conference,  except  the  right  to  vote  upon  the 
reception  or  expulsion  of  preachers,  and  the 
passing  of  preachers  in  the  course  of  reading. 

Devotions. 

2.  A  Bcripture-lesson  shall  be  read  at  the 
opening  of   the  session;  also,  there  shall  be 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.  49 

singing  and  prayer  each  day,  at  the  opening 
and  closing  of  conference. 

Secretaries, 

3.  The  conference  shall  elect  one  or  more 
secretaries,  as  the  case  may  require,  who,  in 
addition  to  discharging  the  regular  duties  of 
secretary,  shall,  immediately  on  the  adjourn- 
ment of  the  annual  conference,  transmit  to  the 
publishing  agent  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  a  true  trans- 
script  of  the  footings  of  the  conference  chart. 

Bishop  Pro  Tern. 

4.  If  no  bishop  should  be  present,  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  the  annual  conference  to  elect  a 
bishop  pro  tern.,  whose  official  acts  shall  be  valid. 

Examinations. 

5.  All  preachers  shall  report  in  person  or  by 
letter,  and  be  examined  respecting  their  de- 
portment toward  their  fellow  men,  whether 
their  conduct  in  life  be  blameless,  and  whether 
they  employ  as  much  time  as  practicable  to 
promote  the  kingdom  of  God  (according  to 
Titus,  1st  chapter,  7th  to 9th  verse,  and  II.  Tim,, 
2d  chapter,  15th  verse),  and  if  found  delinquent 
they  shall  be  admonished  or  advised,  as  the 
case  may  require.  But  should  all  admonition 
or  advice  fail,  then  the  name  of  the  delinquent 
person  shall  be  erased  from  the  roll  of  the  con- 
ference. 


50  DISCIPLINE 

Absentees, 

6.  Should  any  member  of  the  annual  con- 
ference absent  himself  from  the  session  of  con- 
ference three  years  in  succession,  without  giving 
a  satisfactory  reason  for  so  doing,  his  name 
may  be  erased  from  the  roll  of  the  conference. 

Electioneering  Forbidden. 

7.  No  preacher  shall  be  permitted  to  elec- 
tioneer favorably  to  his  own  election  to  any 
office  or  delegation  in  the  Church ;  and  should 
anyone  be  found  doing  so,  he  shall  be  account- 
able to  the  next  annual  conference  of  which  he 
is  a  member,  to  be  dealt  with  according  to  the 
judgment  of  said  conference. 

Authority  of  the  Annual  Conference. 

8.  An  annual  conference  may  adopt  rules 
for  its  own  government  not  in  conflict  with  the 
Discipline  of  the  Church. 

Questions. 

9.  The  following  questions  shall  also  be 
asked  by  the  presiding  officer: 

(1.)  Have  any  of  the  preachers  died  during 
the  last  year  ? 

(2.)    Who  are  candidates  for  the  ministry? 

(3.,  Are  any  to  be  ordained  to  the  office  of 
elder? 


GOVERNMENT   OF   THE   CHURCH.  51 

(4.)  What  has  been  collected  for  contingent 
expenses  and  the  salary  of  pastors? 

(5.)    What  has  been  done  for  missions  ? 

(6.)  What  has  been  done  for  Sabbath 
schools  ? 

(7.)    Has  reckoning  been  made  with  pastors  ? 

(8.)    Who  are  the  presiding  elders? 

(9.)  Where  are  the  preachers  stationed  this 
year? 

(10.)  Where  shall  our  next  conference  be 
held? 

(11.)    Is  there  anything  else  to  be  done? 

(12.)  Is  all  that  has  been  done  entered  upon 
record  ? 

Section  YII. 
qenekal  confekence. 
Members. 

1.  (See  Constitution.) 

Conference  Representation, 

2.  The  annual  conferences  shall  be  repre- 
sented in  the  General  Conference  according  to 
the  following  ratios : 

Not  less  than  three  nor  more  than  six  from 
each  annual-conference  district.  All  conferences 
having  less  than  three  thousand  members  shall 
be  entitled  to  two  elders  and  one  layman.  All 
conferences  having  three  thousand  and  under 
six  thousand  five  hundred  members,  shall  be 


52  DISCIPLINE. 

entitled  to  three  elders  and  one  layman.  All 
conferences  having  six  thousand  five  hundred 
members  shall  be  entitled  to  four  elders  and 
two  laymen. 

BisJwps^  Announcement. 

3.  The  Board  of  Bishops  shall  as  early  as 
possible  announce  the  number  of  delegates  to 
which  each  conference  shall  be  entitled,  as 
appearing  from  the  statistics  of  the  annual 
conferences  at  the  end  of  the  third  year  oi  the 
term. 

Nomination  of  Delegates. 

4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  ministerial 
members  of  the  conference  at  the  session  next 
preceding  the  election  for  delegates  to  General 
Conference,  apart  from  the  lay  delegates,  to 
nominate  by  ballot  three  times  the  number  of 
ministerial  delegates  to  be  elected.  It  shall 
also  be  the  duty  of  the  lay  delegates,  in  sepa- 
rate convention,  to  nominate  by  ballot  three 
times  the  number  of  lay  delegates  to  be  elected. 
In  both  cases  it  shall  require  a  majority  of  all 
the  ballots  cast  to  efiect  a  nomination.  This 
provision  shall  not  be  construed  as  depriving 
members  of  the  right  to  vote,  if  desirous  of 
doing  so,  for  other  ministers  and  laymen  who 
are  ehgible. 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.       53 

Annual-Conference  Tellers. 

5.  Each  annual  conference  shall  appoint  a 
committee  of  three  as  a  board  of  tellers,  and 
three  as  alternates,  to  receive  and  publicly 
count  the  votes,  and  issue  certificates  of  election 
to  those  receiving  the  highest  number  of  votes. 
It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  board  of  tellers  to 
meet  before  the  month  oi  November  and  ap- . 
point  one  of  their  number  secretary;  and  to 
said  secretary  all  returns  of  boards  of  election 
shall  be  made ;  and  the  said  secretary  shall  re- 
tain under  lock  and  key  all  such  reports  until 
the  official  count  is  made. 

Lists  of  Nominees  and  Blanks. 

6.  The  annual  conference  shall  also  furnish, 
through  its  recording  secretary,  to  each  preacher 
in  charge  of  a  field  of  labor  a  list  of  all  the  min- 
isters and  laymen  nominated ;  and  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  each  presiding  elder  to  have  printed 
in  convenient  form,  and  deliver  in  due  time  to 
each  pastor,  printed  tickets  containing  all  the 
names  nominated,  for  use  in  the  election  of  del- 
egates. He  shall  also  furnish  to  eadh  preacher 
in  charge  on  his  district  blank  bills  of  election, 
which  shall  be  distributed  by  the  preachers  to 
their  respective  boards  o?  election. 

Boards  of  HReciiofn, 

7.  The  leaders  and  stewards  oi  each  locaj 


54  DISCIPLINE. 

church  shall  constitute  a  board  of  election,  who 
shall,  by  the  pastor,  be  furnished  a  copy  of  the 
list  of  persons  nominated;  and  the  election 
shall  be  held  invariably  in  the  month  of  No- 
vember next  preceding  the  sitting  of  the  Gen- 
eral Conference. 

8.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  board  of  elec- 
tion publicly  to  announce,  at  least  one  week 
before  the  election,  a  meeting  of  the  members 
of  the  respective  churches,  for  the  purpose  of 
electing  by  ballot  their  delegates  to  represent 
them  in  General  Conference. 

Absent  Voters. 

9.  Should  any  member  be  incapacitated  by 
age  or  affliction,  and  should  any  minister  be 
absent  on  his  charge,  such  persons  may  send 
their  ballots  containing  the  names  of  their 
choice,  with  their  own  names  signed  on  the 
back  of  their  ballots;  provided,  that  no  votes 
shall  be  counted  except  those  cast  on  the  day 
appointed  for  such  election. 

Election  Betwms. 

11.  Each  board  of  election  shall  sign,  enclose, 
and  seal  such  bill  of  election,  and  immediately 
transmit  it  to  the  secretary  of  the  board 
of  tellers  appointed  by  the  annual  confer- 
ence, stating   what   church,    circuit,  mission, 


GOVERNMENT  OF  THE  CHURCH.       55 

or  station  their  vote  represents.  They  shall 
also  keep  a  correct  copy  of  the  bill  they  send 
to  the  tellers,  a  list  of  the  names  of  all  the 
members  voting,  and  the  tickets  used  in  voting, 
until  after  the  adjournment  of  the  General 
Conference,  when  they  may  be  destroyed. 

Canvassing  and  Publication  of  Returns. 

11.  The  annual-conference  board  of  tellers, 
after  giving  at  least  three  days'  notice  of  the 
time  and  place  of  canvassing  the  returns,  shall 
make  out  a  list  of  all  persons  voted  for,  and 
of  the  number  of  votes  for  each;  and  should 
any  two  or  more  of  the  candidates  have  an 
equal  number  of  votes,  the  tellers  shall  deter- 
mine, by  lot,  which  of  them  is  elected.  They 
shall  also  forward  by  the  first  of  February 
the  names  of  those  elected  to  the  editor  of 
the  Religious  Telescope  for  publication  in  the 
Religious  Telescope.  They  shall  also  transmit 
to  the  publishing  agent,  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  a 
complete  list  ot  all  persons  voted  lor  and  the 
numbei  of  votes  cast  for  each,  which  record 
shall  be  furnished  to  the  ensuing  General  Con- 
ference, anA  if  one  or  more  of  those  elected 
should  be  prevented  irom  attending,  by  death, 
sickness,  or  otherwise,  it  shall  be  che  duty  of 
the  tellers  or  secretary  of  the  General  Confer- 
ence to  notify  the  next  highest  on  the  bill  to 


56  DISCIPLINE. 

take  his  place,  and  so  on  descend,  if  need  be, 
to  the  last  candidate.  No  bills  of  election 
received  by.  the  tellers  after  the  first  day  of 
January  shall  be  counted. 

Location  and  Entertainment  of  General  Con- 
ference. 

12.  The  arrangements  for  the  place  and  enter- 
tainment of  the  General  Conference  shall  be 
referred,  with  full  power  to  act,  to  the  Board  of 
Trustees  and  the  Agent  of  the  Printing  Estab- 
lishment. 

13.  Said  board  shall  estimate  the  amount  re- 
quired for  the  expenses  of  the  General  Confer- 
ence, including  traveling  expenses  and  boarding 
of  delegates  and  bishops,  and  shall  apportion 
the  same  among  the  annual  conferences  at  as 
early  a  day  as  possible  prior  to  the  meeting  of 
the  General  Conference.  Said  apportionments 
shall  be,  by  each  annual  conference,  appor- 
tioned among  the  different  charges  in  the 
conference  and  be  collected  by  the  pastors,  and 
the  amounts  collected  shall  be  reported  to  the 
annual-conference  session  next  preceding  the 
sitting  of  the  General  Conference.  The  funds 
thus  collected  shall  be  paid  to  the  publishing 
agent  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  who  shall  hold  them 
subject  to  the  order  of  the  General  Conference. 

14.  This  money  shall  be  known  as  the  Gen- 


MINISTRY   OP  THE   CHUKCH.  57 

eral  Conference  Expense  Fund,  and  shall  be 
distributed  among  the  delegates  and  bishops 
in  proportion  to  their  traveling  expenses  by 
the  most  direct  routes  to  and  from  the  seat  of 
the  General  Conference,  and  including  their 
boarding  and  lodging,  if  paid  for,  during  the 
sessions  of  the  conference. 

Examination  of  Annual  Conferences. 

15.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  General  Confer- 
ence to  examine  the  administration  of  each 
annual  conference,  whether  it  has  strictly  ob- 
served the  rules  and  preserved  the  moral  and 
doctrinal  principles  of  the  Discipline  in  all  its 
transactions. 

Election  of  Officers, 

16.  In  the  election  of  all  officers  of  the  General 
Conference,  a  majority  of  all  the  votes  shall  be 
necessary  to  a  choice. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MINISTRY  OF  THE  CHURCH. 
Section  I. 

EXHORTEES. 

How  Licensed. 
1.  Any  person  wishing  to  obtain  license  to  ex- 
hort, must  obtain  from  the  class  of  which  he  is 
a  member,  by  a  two-thirds'  vote  of  the  mem- 


08  DISCIPLINE. 

bers,  a  recommendation  in  writing,  signed  by 
the  leader,  or  preacher  in  charge,  to  the  quar- 
terly conference  of  the  circuit,  station,  or  mis- 
sion to  which  he  belong-s,  which  may  license 
him,  after  an  examination  on  the  questions  for 
applicants  for  quarterly-conference  license  to 
preach. 

Exhorters*  Duties. 

2.  Exhorters  shall  make  appointments  where- 
ever  acceptable  to  the  people ;  read  portions  of 
Sacred  Scripture,  exhorting  therefrom ;  exhort- 
ing saints,  that  they  with  purpose  of  heart 
should  cleave  to  the  Lord,  and  sinners  to  flee 
from  the  wrath  to  come ;  and  this  they  shall  do 
as  often  as  practicable. 

Renewal  of  License, 

3.  The  license  of  an  exhorter  is  subject  to  re- 
newal annually,  at  the  discretion  of  the  quar- 
terly conference. 

Section  II. 

QUABTERIiY-CONFERENCE  PRBACHEKS. 

How  Licensed, 
1.  Any  person  wishing  to  obtain  license  to 
preach,  must  obtain  from  the  class  of  which  he 
is  a  member,  by  a  two-thirds'  vote  of  the 
members,  a  recommendation  in  writing,  signed 
by  the  leader  or  preacher,  to  the  quarterly  con- 
ference of  the  circuit,  station,  or  mission  to 


MINIJJTKY  OF  THE  CKURCn.  59 

which  he  belongs;  prmndedj  that  the  person 
making  application  shall  be  examined  by  the 
quarterly  conference,  and  the  following  ques- 
tions asked  by  the  chairman : 

Examination  of  Applicants 

2.  (1.)  Do  you  believe  our  Confession  of  Faith 
as  set  forth  in  our  Book  of  Disciphne? 

( 2.)  Have  you  now  peace  with  God  through 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ? 

(3.)  What  is  your  motive  in  desiring  permis- 
sion to  preach  the  gospel  ? 

(4.)  Are  you  satisfied  with  our  Church  gov- 
ernment? 

( 5.)  Will  you  submit  yourself  to  the  counsel 
of  your  brethren  ? 

(6.)  What  is  your  knowledge  of  depravity,  of 
redemption,  of  faith,  of  repentance,  of  justifica- 
tion, of  regeneration,  and  of  sanctification  ? 

( 7.)  Will  you  abstain  from  the  use  of  tobacco? 

3.  It  shall  be  the  privilege  of  the  chairman  to 
ask  any  other  question  or  questions  that  he 
may  deem  necessary. 

4.  Persons  divorced,  except  on  scriptural 
grounds,  shall  not  be  granted  license. 

Course  of  Beading. 

5.  Quarterly-conference  preachers  are  re- 
quired to  pursue  the  course  of  reading  pre- 
scribed in  our  Book  of  Discipline,  and  to  be 


60  DISCIPLINE, 

examined  annually  by  the  presiding  elder  and 
preacher  in  charge  at  the  fourth  quarterly 
meeting. 

Renewal  of  License. 

6.  The  license  of  a  quarterly  -  conference 
preacher  T\'ho  is  not  otherwise  exempted  by 
reason  of  passing  the  prescribed  course  of  study, 
is  subject  to  renewal  annually,  at  the  discretion 
of  the  quarterly  conference. 

Recommendation  to  Annual  Conference. 

7.  After  quarterly-conference  preachers  have 
stood  in  that  capacity  one  or  more  confer- 
ence years,  the  quarterly  conference  may  rec- 
ommend them  to  the  annmal  conference,  and 
if  not  received  they  sustain  their  former 
relation. 

Section  IIL 

annual-conference  preachers. 

How  Received. 

1.  Every  person  proposed  as  a  preacher  shall 
be  examined  by  the  annual  conference,  or  a 
select  committee  thereof;  and  the  following 
questions  shall  be  asked  him : 

Preacher^s  Examination. 

2.  (1.)  Have  you  known  God  in  Christ 
Jesus  to  be  a  sin-pardoning  God? 

(2.)    Have  you  now  peace  with  God ;  and  is 


MINISTRY   OF  THE  CHURCH.  61 

the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  your  heart  by 
the  Holy  Spirit? 

(3.)  Do  you  believe  the  Bible  to  be  the  word 
of  God.  and  that  therein  is  contained  the  only 
true  way  to  our  salvation  ? 

(4.)  What  foundation  have  you  for  such 
belief? 

(5.)     Do  you  follow  after  holiness? 

(6.)  AVhat  is  your  motive  for  desiring  per- 
mission to  preach  the  gospel  ? 

(7.)  Do  you  believe  that  man,  apart  from  the 
grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  fallen  from 
original  righteousness,  and  is  not  only  entirely 
destitute  of  holiness,  but  is  inclined  to  evil,  and 
only  evil,  and  that  continually ;  and  that  except 
a  man  be  born  again  he  cannot  see  the  king- 
dom of  heaven  ? 

(8.)  What  is  your  knowledge  of  redemption, 
of  faith,  of  repentance,  justification,  regenera- 
tion, and  sanctification  ? 

(9.)  Does  your  own  salvation,  and  the  salva- 
tion of  your  fellow  mortals,  lie  nearer  to  your 
heart  than  all  other  things  in  the  world? 

(10.)  Will  you  subject  yourself  to  the  coun- 
sel of  your  brethren  in  the  Lord? 

(11.)  Are  you  satisfied  with  our  Church  gov- 
ernment? 

(12.)  Are  you  willing,  as  much  as  is  in  your 
power,  to  assist  in  upholding  our  itinerant  plan  ? 


62  DISCIPLINE. 

(13.)  Will  you  abstain  from  the  use  of  to- 
bacco ? 

Licensing  Women 

3.  Not  wishing  to  hinder  any  Christian  who 
may  be  moved  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  labor  in 
the  vineyard  of  the  Lord  for  the  salvation  of 
souls,  it  is  ordered  that  whenever  any  godly 
woman  presents  herself  before  the  quarterly  or 
annual  conference  as  an  applicant  for  authority 
to  preach  the  gospel  among  us,  she  may  be 
granted  license,  provided  she  complies  with  the 
usual  conditions  required  of  men  who  wish  to 
enter  the  ministry  of  our  Church.  When  such 
person  shall  have  passed  the  required  examina- 
tion before  the  regular  committees,  she  may, 
after  the  usual  probation,  be  ordained. 

Qualifications  of  Applicants. 

4.  None  can  be  admitted  without  having  a 
recommendation  from  the  quarterly  conference, 
and  then  only  to  be  received  on  probation ;  but 
if  the  conference  should,  on  examination,  find 
that  the  candidate's  abilities  are  insufficient  to 
preach  the  gospel,  it  may  refer  him  back  to  the 
quarterly  conference  for  further  instruction. 

5.  Persons  divorced,  except  on  scriptural 
grounds,  shall  not  be  granted  license  to  preach. 

An  Expelled  Preacher. 

6.  When  a  preacher  or  elder  has  been  ex- 


MINISTRY   OF  THE  CHURCH,  (53 

pelled  or  formally  withdraws  from  one  annual 
conference,  he  shall  not  be  received  into  an- 
other without  the  consent  of  the  conference 
with  which  he  was  formerly  connected. 

Preacher's  Transfer. 

7.  A.  preaeher  or  elder  who  shall  labor  in 
the  bounds  of  an  annual  conference  other  than 
the  one  to  which  he  belongs,  for  two  years, 
shall  be  required  to  obtain  a  transfer  from  the 
conference  to  which  he  belongs  and  to  unite  ■ 
with  the  conference  in  whose  bounds  he  labors, 
or  to  return  to  his  own  conference  for  work ; 
provided,  that  presidents  and  professors  of 
schools  and  colleges,  and  others  engaged  in  gen- 
eral church-work,  shall  be  exempt  from  this 
requirement. 

8.  A  preacher  removing  from  one  conference 
to  another  shall,  when  he  applies  to  the  latter 
for  admission,  produce  a  transfer  from  the 
former,  signed  by  the  presiding  officer  or  sec- 
retary. 

Limit  of  Transfer. 

9.  A  preacher  or  elder  who  receives  a  trans- 
fer is  required  to  present  said  transfer  to  another 
conference,  or  to  return  it  to  the  conference  by 
which  it  was  issued,  within  two  years  after  its 
date.  Otherwise  the  transfer  shall  be  null  and 
void,  and  the  name  of  the  preacher  shall  be 


64  '  DISCIPLINE. 

published  as  no   longer    connected  with  our 
Church  as  a  minister. 

Accountability  of  Transferred  Preachers. 
10.  A  preacher  or  elder  receiving  a  transfer 
shall  be  a  member  of  the  quarterly  conference 
in  whose  bounds  he  may  reside,  and  also  be 
accountable  for  his  moral  and  official  conduct 
to  the  annual  conference  granting  said  transfer, 
until  his  transfer  be  received  by  the  conference 
to  which  he  has  been  transferred. 

Section  IV. 

KECEPTION    OF    PBEACHERS    FROM    OTHER 
CHURCHES. 

1.  When  preachers  from  other  churches 
come  to  us  with  certificates  of  good  standing  in 
the  church  in  which  they  have  held  member- 
ship, or  with  transfers  from  a  conference,  pres- 
bytery, or  synod,  and  give  satisfaction  to  the 
annual  conference  concerning  their  agreement 
on  the  doctrine,  discipline,  government,  and 
usages  of  our  Church,  the  conference  may  re- 
ceive them.  If  they  be  ordained  elders,  they 
must  pass  the  examination  required  of  candi- 
dates for  elders'  orders,  but  they  may  be  exempt 
from  the  laying  on  of  hands. 

Section  V. 

CLASSIFICATION    OF    THE    MINISTRY. 

1.    The  ministry  of  the  Church  shall  be  claesi- 


MINISTRY  OF  THE  CHURCH.  65 

fied   after   the   following    order:     Itinerants, 
Bupexannuated,  supernumerary,  and  local. 

Itinerants, 

2.  To  this  class  shall  belong  all  annual  con- 
ference ministers  "who  have  been  regularly 
received  into  the  itineracy. 

Superannuated. 

3.  To  this  class  shall  belong  such  itinerants 
as  are  from  age  or  physical  infirmities  unable  to 
pursue  the  regular  work  of  the  ministry. 

Supernumerary, 

4.  To  this  class  shall  belong  such  as  have 
been  admitted  to  the  itineracy  and  are  willing  to 
work,  but  for  whom  the  conference  and  Church, 
for  the  time  being,  are  not  able  to  find  work,  or 
who,  by  their  own  request,  have  been  voted  to 
such  relation. 

Local, 

5.  To  this  class  shall  belong  such  annual- 
conference  preachers  as  are  not  admitted  to  the 
itineracy. 

C?a5s — How  Determined. 

6.  The  annual  conference  shall  determine  to 
which  of  the  foregoing  classes  each  minister 
shall  belong.  Should  an  itinerant  leave  in  an 
irregular  way  the  work  assigned  him,  he  shall 
forfeit  his  standing  as  an  itinerant. 


66  DISCIPLINE. 

Evangelists. 
7.    Preachers  who  desire  to  labor  as  evan- 
gelists must  be  duly  authorized  by  the  annual 
conference  to  which  they  belong. 

Section  VI. 

ELDEKS. 

Elders*  Probation. 

1.  After  a  probation  of  three  years,  a  preacher 
may  be  presented  to  the  annual  conference  for 
elder's  orders ;  whereupon  the  bishop  shall  pro- 
pose to  the  conference  the  following  questions : 

Questions  Regarding  a  Candidate. 

2.  (1.)  Is  he  blameless  touching  the  mar- 
riage state  ? 

(2.)  Is  his  deportment  in  the  social  circle 
marked  with  watchful  sobriety  ? 

( 3.)  Is  he  hospitable  toward  the  afflicted  and 
needy  ? 

(4.)  Is  he  faithful  in  the  public  ministration 
of  God's  word,  and  diligent  in  reading  and 
study? 

(5.)  Is  his  household  subject  to  rules  of 
piety  ? 

3.  Should  the  above  questions  be  answered 
in  the  affirmative,  a  committee  of  three  or  five 
elders  shall  be  appointed,  before  whom  the 
candidate  shall  appear,  and  make  answer  to  the 
following  questions;  namely, 


MINISTRY  OP  THE  CHURCH.  (i7 

Committee  Examination. 

4.  (1.)  Upon  what  foundation  do  you  be- 
lieve the  Bible  to  be  the  word  of  God? 

(2.)  How  do  you  prove  the  fall  of  man  by 
transgression  ? 

(3.)  How  do  you  prove  the  redemption  of 
man  by  Jesus  Christ  ? 

(4.)  Do  you  believe  in  the  deity  of  Jesus 
Christ? 

(5.)  What  foundation  have  you  for  such  a 
belief? 

(6.)  Do  you  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost  as 
presented  in  our  Confession  of  Faith  ? 

(7.)  Upon  what  evidence  do  you  believe 
this? 

(8.)  Do  you  believe  in  future  everlasting 
punishment  ? 

Duties  of  the  Committee. 

5.  It  shall  be  the  privilege  of  the  committee, 
in  the  close,  to  propose  any  question  touching 
the  answers  given,  if  said  answers  should  be 
unsatisfactory.  It  shall  also  be  their  duty  to 
make  out,  sign,  and  deliver  to  the  conference  a 
report  of  each  case  which  may  have  been  be- 
fore them. 

Election  to  Elders^  Orders. 

6.  If  the  committee  and  conference  find  the 
candidate  worthy,  by  a  majority  of  the  votes  of 


68  DISCIPLINE. 

the  elders  of  conference  he  may  be  elected  to 
ordination. 

Limit  of  Probation. 

7.  When  circumstances  demand  it,  a  licen- 
tiate may  be  presented  to  conference  for  ordina- 
tion at  any  time  prior  to  a  probation  of  three 
years,  provided  two-thirds  of  the  elders  present 
vote  for  the  same. 

Duties  of  Elder. 

8.  It  is  the  duty  of  an  elder  to  preach  the  gos- 
pel, to  baptize,  to  administer  the  Lord's  Supper, 
to  solemnize  marriages,  to  perform  all  parts  of 
divine  service,  to  be  an  example  to  others  by 
himself  following  the  Savior's  example ;  and  in 
a  very  special  manner  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  an 
elder  to  cherish  and  encourage  young  ministers, 
and  always  to  be  looking  for  those  whom  God 
has  called  to  preach,  and  advise  them  to  take 
up  the  cross  and  begin  the  work  without  delay, 
or  in  case  it  is  required,  to  enter  upon  the  full- 
est preparation,  that  the  gathering  of  the  gospel 
harvest  may  be  faithfully  performed. 

Section  VII. 

PRESIDING  ELDERS. 

Election  of  Presiding  Elders. 
1 .    Presiding  elders  shall  be  elected  by  annual 
conference  by  ballot.    A  majority  of  the  whole 
number  of  votes  shall  be  necessary  to  a  choice. 


MINISTRY  OP  THE   CHURCH.  69 

Support  of  Presiding  Elders, 

2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  several  annual 
conferences  to  make  such  regulations  for  the 
support  of  presiding  elders  as  they  in  their 
wisdom  may  think  best  calculated  to  accom- 
plish the  desired  end. 

Stationing  Presiding  Elders, 

3.  Presiding  elders  shall  be  stationed  by  the 
bishop  and  two  elders  or  preachers  elected  by- 
ballot  from  each  presiding-elder  district. 

Duties  of  Presiding  Elders. 

4.  The  duties  of  a  presiding  elder  are,  to 
travel  through  the  distnct  appointed  him,  and 
to  preach  as  often  as  practicable. 

5.  He  shall  appoint  the  quarterly  and  camp 
meetings,  and  attend  them.  He  shall  hold 
quarterly  conferences,  and  administer  the  ordi- 
nances of  God's  house.  He  shall  inquire 
whether  the  preachers  do  their  duty,  and  ex- 
hort them  to  maintain  discipline  and  order, 
love  and  seriousness,  in  the  Church.  He  shall 
look  after  the  organization  of  young  people's 
societies  on  his  district,  and  make  inquiry  in 
the  quarterly  conference  as  to  the  work  of  the 
societies.  He  may  also  call  extra  sessions  of  the 
quarterly  conference  with  the  consent  ol  a  ma- 
jority of  its  membei-s. 


70  DISCIPLINE. 

6.  It  shall  be  his  duty  to  make  strict  inquiry 
whether  each  pastor  has  received  the  amount  of 
salary  due  him,  and  in  case  of  a  deficiency,  to 
make  an  earnest  effort  to  secure  the  balance  due. 

7.  At  the  second  quarterly  conference  of 
each  year,  the  presiding  elders  shall  examine 
the  boards  of  trustees  of  church  houses  and  par- 
sonages as  to  their  having  procured  articles  of 
incorporation  according  to  the  laws  of  the  State 
and  the  regulations  of  the  Church,  and  shall 
give  such  instructions  as  may  be  necessary. 

8.  Each  presiding  elder  shall  make  a  report 
in  writing,  of  his  district,  annually,  to  the 
annual  conference. 

Vacancy  Filled  by  Appointment. 

9.  Should  any  district,  through  death,  resig- 
nation, or  otherwise,  be  without  a  presiding 
elder,  information  shall  be  immediately  given 
to  the  bishop,  who  shall  appoint  an  elder  to 
preside  in  said  district  until  the  ensuing  annual 
conference. 

Power  to  Exchange  Pastors. 

10.  The  presiding  elder  may,  in  conjunction 
with  two  elders,  preachers,  exhorters,  or  leaders 
(one  from  each  circuit),  change  the  pastors  in 
his  district. 

Power  to  Dismiss  Pastors. 

11.  The  presiding  elder  may,  in  conjunction 


MINISTRY    OF   THE   CHURCH.  71 

with  the  quarterly  conference,  dismiss  a  pastor 
from  his  charge  for  inefficiency  or  neglect  of 
duty. 

Section  VIII. 

BISHOPS. 

Election  of  Bishops. 

1.  The  General  Conference  shall  elect  bishops 
for  the  term  of  four  years,  by  a  majority  of  the 
whole  number  of  votes,  to  be,  at  the  option  of 
conference,  reelected.  The  bishops  must  be 
capable  of  attending  the  conferences  assigned 
them,  otherwise  they  cannot  be  elected;  pro- 
vided, however,  that  the  General  Conference  may 
elect  a  bishop  emeiitus  when  it  deems  it  proper 
to  do  so. 

Holding  of  Conferences. 

2.  The  bishops  shall  arrange  the  time  of 
holding  the  several  conferences,  and  attend 
them  in  rotation  as  far  as  possible. 

Bishop  Emeritus. 

3.  The  bishop  emeritus,  if  one  be  elected, 
shall  be  equal  with  the  other  bishops,  and  assist 
them  in  their  work  as  the  Board  of  Bishops 
may  arrange  and  as  his  strength  may  permit. 

Salaries  of  Bishops. 

4.  The  General  Conference  shall  fix  the  sal- 
aries of  the  bishops.  Apportionments  to  meet 
these  salaries  shall  be  made  to  the  Church  by 


72  DISCIPLINE. 

the  bishops.  Apportionments  thus  made  to 
annual  conferences  and  mission  districts  shall 
be  apportioned  to  the  various  fields  of  labor 
according  to  the  ability  of  each. 

Besidences  of  Bishops, 

5.  The  bishops  shall  arrange  to  reside  as  fol- 
lows :  One  bishop  east  of  the  Allegheny  Moun- 
taios,  one  between  the  Allegheny  Mountains 
and  the  Mississippi  River,  one  between  the 
Mississippi  River  and  the  Rocky  Mountains, 
and  one  on  the  Pacific  Coast. 

DUTIES  OF  BISHOPS. 

Presiding  at  Conferences. 

6.  It  is  the  duty  of  bishops  to  preside  over 
the  annual  and  General  conferences,  and  strictly 
examine  into  the  moral  and  official  character 
of  the  members  of  the  annual  conferences  in 
the  bounds  of  their  districts,  and  insist  upon  it 
that  all  the  laws  of  the  Church  are  faithfully 
executed. 

Stationing  of  Preachers, 

7.  For  stationing  presiding  elders,  see  "  Sta- 
tioning Presiding  Elders,'*  page  69.  For  sta- 
tioning pastors,  see  "Stationing  Itinerants," 
page  82. 


MINISTRY   OP  TUB  CHURCH.  73 

Ordination  of  Preachers, 

8.  It  shall  be  their  duty  to  perform  the  rite 
of  ordination  at  the  annual  conferences,  and  at 
such  other  times  and  places  as  circumstances 
may  require,  but  only  upon  such  persons  as 
have  passed  the  usual  examination  required  of 
candidates  for  ordination,  by  a  committee  of 
three  elders  chosen  for  that  purpose  by  one  of 

the  bishops. 

Annual  Meeting. 

9.  The  bishops  shall  hold  annual  meetings, 
in  which  they  shall  determine  the  time  of 
holding  the  annual  conferences,  and  who  shall 
attend  each  conference ;  decide  questions  of  dis- 
cipline, adopt  measures  to  secure  uniformity  in 
their  administration,  and  when  circumstances 
demand  it,  appoint  fast  and  thanksgiving 
seasons,  and  counsel  upon  the  general  interests 
of  the  Church. 

Organizing  Mission  Conferences. 

10.  In  conjunction  with  the  Board  of  Mis- 
sions, a  bishop  shall  have  power  to  organize 
mission  conferences. 

Missionary  Collection. 

11.  The  bishops  shall  take  a  missionary  col- 
lection and  subscription  during  the  session  of 
each  conference. 


DISCIPLINE. 


In  Mission  Fields. 


12.  The  bishops  shall  devote  as  much  of  theii 
time  as  possible,  consistent  with  other  duties, 
to  visiting  our  missions,  and  exploring  new 
fields. 

General  Financial  and  Educational  Interests. 

13.  The  bishops  shall  devote  attention  to  the 
general  financial  and  educational  interests  of 
the  Church. 

Reports. 

14.  The  bishops  shall  publish  annually,  m 

the  columns    of    the    Religious    Telescope   and 

Frohliche  Botschafter,  reports  of  their  respective 

districts,  and  also  the  amount  of  salary  received 

from  the  several  annual  conferences  in  their 

charge. 

Vacant  Districts. 

15.  Should  any  district  be  deprived  of  a 
bishop  by  death  or  otherwise,  the  senior  of  the 
remaining  bishops,  on  due  notice  of  said  fact, 
shall  call  together  at  some  central  point  in  the 
vacant  district  the  delegates  of  the  preceding 
General  Conference  from  said  bishop's  district, 
who  shall  elect  a  bishop  to  fill  the  vacancy. 
The  expenses  of  said  delegates  shall  be  pro- 
vided for  by  the  conferences  to  which  they 
belong. 


MINISTRY  OP  THE  CHUKCH.  75 

AiiJiiicU  Setvnon, 

16.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  bishops  to 
see  that  a  suitable  sermon  be  delivered  to  the 
preachers  present  at  each  annual  conference. 

Conference  Supenntendency. 

17.  The  bishop  last  presiding  at  an  annual 
conference  shall  be  regarded  as  the  superinten- 
dent of  that  conference  for  the  ensuing  year. 

Delinquency. 

18.  When  a  bishop  fails  to  perform  his  duty, 
unless  through  unavoidable  circumstances,  he 
cannot  be  suffered  to  retain  his  office. 

Section  IX. 

TRIAL  op  preachers. 

Quarterly-Conference  PreacJiers, 

1,  When  a  quarterly-conference  preacher  or 
exhorter  is  accused  of  any  misdemeanor,  the 
leader  or  steward  shall  prosecute  the  case,  and 
shall  inquire  into  the  nature  of  the  complaints, 
and  if  there  be  grounds  for  charges  he  shall 
present  to  the  accused  a  copy  of  the  charges 
and  notify  him  to  choose  a  committee-man, 
and  the  prosecutor  shall  choose  a  second  com- 
mittee-man ;  these  two  a  third ;  and  this  com- 
mittee shall  try  the  case,  the  preacher  in  charge 
being  chah'man. 


76  DISCIPLINE. 

2.  If  the  accused  refuse,  or  neglect,  or  fail,  or  is 
unable  to  choose  a  committee-man  after  being 
properly  notified,  the  quarterly  conference  shall 
choose  a  first  and  second  person,  and  these  two 
a  third,  and  this  committee  shall  hear  the  case 
and  decide.  If  the  accused  is  found  guilty,  he 
shall  be  silenced ;  provided,  however j  either  party 
shall  have  the  right  of  appeal  to  the  next  quar- 
terly conference  for  a  new  trial. 

Annual-Conference  Preachers. 

3.  When  a  preacher,  elder,  or  bishop  is  re- 
ported guilty  of  immorality,  trespass,  imprudent 
conduct,  or  disobedience  to  the  order  and  disci- 
pline of  the  Church,  the  preacher  to  whom  it  is 
known  shall  take  with  him  another  preacher, 
exhorter,  or  leader,  and  examine  into  the 
charge;  but  as  the  apostle  says  (I.  Tim.  5:19), 
"against  an  elder  receive  not  an  accusation, 
but  before  two  or  three  witnesses."  If  it 
should  appear  that  said  reports  are  well  found- 
ed, the  examiners  shall  prefer  charges  against 
the  accused;  if  not,  they  shall  report  to  the 
next  quarterly  conference  of  which  the  accused 
is  a  member  that  they  found  no  cause  of  action. 
If  charges  are  preferred  and  no  one  be  found 
willing  to  prosecute  the  case,  then  the  said 
quarterly  conference  shall  appoint  a  prosecutor, 
whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  notify  the  accused, 


MINISTRY   OF  THE  CHURCH.  li 

in  writing,  of  all  the  charges  preferred  against 
him.    He  shall  also  notify  him  to  choose  an 
elder  as    his   committee-man,  the   prosecutor 
choosing  an  elder  also  as  committee-man,  in 
behalf  of  the  Church,  and  they  two  a  third 
elder  or  preacher,  before  which  committee  the 
case  shall  be  tried.    The  prosecutor  shall  also 
notify  the  presiding  elder  of  the  district  within 
whose   bounds  said   cause  of   accusation  oc- 
curred ;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  presid- 
ing elder  to  appoint  the  time  and  place  of  trial, 
gi\dng  not  less  than  twenty  nor  more  than 
forty  days'  notice,  to  the  parties  concerned,  of 
said  trial ;  and  he  shall  also  act  as  chairman  in 
the  case.    Should  a  majority  of  the  committee 
be  satisfied  that  the  accusation  is  sustained, 
they  shall  require  him  to  hold  his  peace  until 
the  annual  conference,  where  he  shall  be  ac- 
countable, and   it  shall   be  the  duty  of  the 
committee  to  transmit  in  writing  the  entise 
proceedings  of  said  trial  to  the  annual  confer- 
ence, where  the  accused  shall  have  a  hearing 
before  the  conference,  or  a  select  committee 
thereof ;  and  if  the  findings  are  sustained,  he 
shall  be  suspended,  expelled,  or  retained,  as 
the  conference  may  determine.    But  should 
the  accused,  after  having  been  duly  notified, 
refuse  or  neglect   to  comply  in  choosing  his 
committee-man  and  notifying  the  prosecutor 


tS  DiSCirLI^E. 

within  fifteen  days,  the  presiding  elder  snail 
suspend  him  until  the  annual  conference, 
where,  if  he  shall  refuse  to  appear,  he  shall  be 
dealt  with  according  to  the  judgment  of  the 
conference;  pro\dded,  however,  if  he  be  an 
elder,  elders  only  shall  vote  in  the  case;  and, 
provided  further,  that  if  the  committee-men 
chosen  by  the  prosecutor  and  accused  fail  to 
agree  as  to  tlie  third  member  of  the  committee, 
then  the  quarterly  conference  shall  appoint 
said  committee-man.  If  the  accused  or  prose- 
cutor be  a  presiding  elder  or  bishop,  the  presid- 
ing elder  or  bishop,  as  the  case  may  be,  next 
adjoining,  shall  act  as  chairman  on  the  trial; 
provided,  that  in  conferences  ha^ing  only  one 
presiding  elder,  the  bishop  shall  appoint  a 
chairman  to  act  in  the  case. 

4.  The  foregoing  relates  only  to  annual-con- 
ference members.  ■ 

Section  X, 

MARRIAGE  -  WHO  MAY  SOLEMNIZE. 

1.  All  ordained  ministers,  and  those  that 
have  obtained  license  from  an  annual  conference, 
where  the  law  of  the  State  makes  it  the  privi- 
lege of  every  regularly  licensed  minister  to 
solemnize  marriage,  are  authorized  to  solemnize 
marriage ;  but  none  having  quarterly-conference 
license  are  permitted  to  solemnize  marriage. 


MINISTRY   OF  THE  CHURCH.  79 

Section  XI » 

PREACHEKS'  DUTIES  IN  GENERAL. 

1.  The  duties  of  preachers  are  to  preach 
Christ  crucified ;  to  form  classes,  and  report  the 
same  to  the  annual  conferences;  converse  with 
the  members  on  their  spiritual  condition ;  ad- 
minister relief;  strengthen  and  direct  those 
that  are  afflicted  and  labor  under  temptations ; 
animate  the  indolent;  endeavor  as  much  as 
possible  to  edify  and  instruct  all  in  faith,  in  the 
Christian  virtues,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  Jesus 
Christ;  visit  the  sick;  and  strive  to  enforce  and 
confirm  the  doctrine  they  deliver  by  a  M-ell- 
ordered  and  exemplary  life. 

Directions  to  Preachers. 

2.  Let  preachers  heed  the  following  direc- 
tions •. 

(1.)  Be  diligent.  Xever  trifle  away  your 
time.  Always  be  serious.  Let  your  motto  be, 
"Holiness  unto  the  Lord."  Avoid  all  vain 
conversation,  conduct  yourself  prudently  with 
women,  and  demean  yourself  in  all  respects  as 
a  true  Christian.  Be  at  all  times  averse  to 
crediting  evil  reports.  Believe  evil  of  no  one 
without  good  evidence.  Put  the  best  construc- 
tion on  everything. 

(2.)  Speak  evil  of  no  one.  Whatever  may 
be  your  thoughts,  keep  them  within  your  own 


80  DISCIPLINE. 

breast  until  you  can  tell  the  person  concerned 
what  you  think  wrong  in  hia  conduct. 

(3.)  Let  your  business  be  to  save  as  many 
souls  as  possible.  To  this  employment  give 
yourself  up  wholly.  Visit  those  who  need  it, 
and  act  in  all  things,  not  according  to  your  own 
will,  but  as  sons  in  the  gospel ;  for  as  such  it 
becomes  your  duty  to  employ  your  time  in  the 
manner  prescribed,  in  preaching,  and  in  visit- 
ing from  house  to  house,  in  instruction  and 
prayer,  and  in  meditating  on  the  word  of  God. 
With  these  thmgs  be  occupied  until  our  Lord 
shall  come. 

Preachers  Not  to  Trespass. 

3.  No  preacher  shall  arbitrarily  form  a  cir- 
cuit, mission,  or  station  within  the  limits  of  a 
circuit  or  presiding-elder  district,  or  shall  receive 
compensation  for  labor  performed,  without  the 
consent  of  the  preacher  in  charge;  nor  shall 
any  minister  preaching  in  a  different  language 
accept  a  call  from  any  regularly  organized  class 
or  congregation  which  does  not  belong  to  his 
conference,  without  the  consent  of  the  annual 
conference  to  which  the  charge  making  the 
request  may  belong.  Any  preacher  violating 
the  provisions  of  this  section  shall  be  amenable 
to  his  quarterly  or  annual  conference. 


ITINERACY.  81 

CHAPTER  VII. 

ITINERACY. 

Section  I. 

ITINERANTS. 

How  Constituted. 

1.  All  who  propose  themselves  without  re- 
serve, after  having  labored  two  years  under  the 
direction  of  the  stationing  committee  or  presid- 
ing elder,  and  have  been  received,  as  such,  by 
a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  of  confer- 
ence, shall  be  recognized  as  itinerants. 

Withdrawing  from  the  Itineracy. 

2.  If  anyone  who  is  received,  as  above  stated, 
shall  withdraw  from  active  work  without  giv- 
ing satisfaction  to  the  conference  of  which  he  is 
a  member,  he  shall  not  be  entitled  to  any  sup- 
port from  the  funds  belonging  to  said  confer- 
ence. And,  furthermore,  he  shall  not  reenter 
the  itineracy  without  the  consent  of  at  least 
two-thirds  of  the  conference.  Yet  supernu- 
merary and  superannuated  relations  shall  be 
duly  recognized  as  in  accordance  with  this 
section,  and  may  be  secured  to  any  brother 
having  just  claims  thereto,  by  a  vote  of  the 
conference. 

Itinerant's  Resignation. 

3.  Should  a  pastor  desire  to  leave  the  work 


82  DISCIPLINE. 

assigned  him,  lie  must  first  inform  the  presiding 
elder  of  his  intention,  in  writing ;  and  should 
any  one  leave  or  neglect  his  charge,  except  it 
be  through  sickness  or  other  unavoidable  cir- 
cumstances, he  shall  be  accountable  to  the 
next  annual  conference. 

Stationing  Itinerants. 

4.  Thebishop  and  presiding  elders  of  the  past 
and  present  years  shall  constitute  a  stationing 
committee,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  supply  all 
the  circuits,  stations,  and  missions,  aa  far  as 
practicable,  from  the  list  of  itinerants;  pro- 
vided, however,  that  where  there  is  but  one 
presiding  elder  on  the  committee,  the  confer- 
ence may  elect  to  the  same  another  elder  from 
the  elders  not  asking  for  work  from  said  com- 
mittee. 

5.  The  stationing  committee  shall  have  at 
least  two  meetings  before  its  work  is  completed. 

Appeal  from  Stationing  Committee's  Report. 

6.  If  any  of  the  preachers  thus  stationed,  or 
any  who  may  not  receive  an  appointment,  are 
dissatisfied,  they  shall  have  a  right  to  appeal  to 
the  annual  conference.  If  two-thirds  grant  the 
appeal  ^  the  decision  shall  be  final. 

1  Note.— In  case  of  an  appeal  from  the  decision  of  the 
stationing  committee,  no  preacher  stationed  by  said 
committee  shall  be  changed,  without  his  consent,  to 
accommodate  the  preacher  making  such  appeal. 


ITINERACY.  83 

Eeport  of  Stationing  Committee, 

7.  The  report  of  the  stationing  committee 
shall  be  read  at  least  six  hours  before  the  ad- 
journment of  conference. 

Employment  of  Other  Preachers. 

8.  Should  there  not  be  enough  itinerants  to 
fill  all  the  circuits,  stations,  and  missions,  such 
vacancies  shall  be  supplied  by  the  stationing 
committee  or  presiding  elders. 

Fields  of  Labor, 

9.  A  circuit  or  station  shall  not  consist  of  any 
specific  number  of  members  or  appointments ; 
but  when  the  annual  conference  judges  it  able 
to  support  a  minister,  it  may  be  recognized  as 
such. 

Section  II. 

DUTIES  OF  ITINERANTS. 

1.  It  is  the  duty  of  an  itinerant  preacher  to 
take  the  charge  assigned  him,  and  to  move  to 
it  if  practicable. 

2.  He  shall  attend  the  appointments  on  his 
charge,  preach  to  the  people  regularly,  and 
hold  class-meetings  whenever  practicable,  and 
whenever  possible  maintain  young  people's 
Christian  societies. 

Revision  of  Church  Records, 

3.  He,  in  connection  with  the  leader  and 


84  DISCIPLINE. 

steward  of  each  class, — on  stations,  in  connec- 
tion with  the  official  board, — shall  at  least  one 
month  before  annual  conference  revise  the 
church  records.  No  name  shall  be  erased  from 
the  records  until  the  disciplinary  steps  have 
been  taken. 

Annual  Reorganization. 

4.  He,  in  connection  with  the  leader  and 
steward  of  each  class, — on  stations,  in  connection 
with  the  official  board, — shall,  at  the  time  when 
the  records  are  revised,  appomt  a  steward  or 
stewards,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  class. 
He  shall  hold  a  meeting  of  the  class  and  see 
that  a  class-leader  is  elected. 

Presiding  at  Trials. 

5.  He  shall  sit  as  president  on  the  trial  of 
members  and  see  that  a  correct  account  of  the 
same  is  kept. 

Reports. 

6.  He  shall  render  a  strict  account  (  as  indi- 
cated in  form )  of  his  work  at  each  quarterly 
conference,  where  he  is  to  be  held  accountable 
for  neglect  of  duty. 

Circulation  of  Literature. 

7.  It  shall  be  his  duty  to  use  every  laudable 
effort  to  circulate  our  books  and  church  i>eriod- 
icals,  and  to  use  due  diligence  to  advance  the 
interests  of  the  Church  printing  establishment. 


ITIXERACY.  85 

8.  It  shall  be  his  duty  to  keep  a  list  of  the 
names  of  all  the  subscribers  to  our  Church 
periodicals,  and  the  time  of  subscribing,  at  the 
different  appointments  on  his  charge,  and  hand 
it  over  to  his  successor  at  the  annual  confer- 
ence, with  the  list  of  the  appointments.  He 
shall  also  report  the  number  of  subscribers  to 
our  periodicals  on  his  field  of  labor  at  each 
quarterly  conference,  and  be  examined  by  the 
presiding  elder  and  quarterly  conference  as  to 
whether  he  performs  his  duty  in  circulating 
the  periodicals  of  the  Church  among  the  peo- 
ple of  his  charge. 

Dismissal  of  Appointments, 

9.  No  preacher  shall  dismiss  any  appoint- 
ment from  his  circuit,  or  mission,  without  the 
consent  of  quarterly  conference. 

Records. 

10.  He  shall  procure  a  suitable  book  for  a 
church  record,  in  which  he  shall  register  all 
the  appointments  and  classes  on  his  circuit, 
station,  or  mission,  in  their  regular  order,  with 
the  name  of  each  member  attached  to  his  class. 
He  shall  also  make  a  record  of  all  the  baptisms, 
marriages,  deaths,  and  proceedings  of  church 
trials,  with  the  names  of  all  the  parties  in  each 
case.  He  shall  report  this  record  with  the»  pro- 
ceedings therein  to  the  last  quarterly  confer- 


86  DISCIPLINE. 

ence  of  each  year  for  approval  or  improvemeut. 
This  book  shall  be  the  property  of  the  quarterly 
conference,  and  shall  be  in  addition  to  the  reg- 
ular class-books  and  circuit-books. 

General  Collections. 

11.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  preachers  in 
charge  of  circuits,  stations,  and  missions  to  col- 
lect the  annual  amount  apportioned  to  their 
fields  of  labor  for  the  support  of  the  bishops 
and  presiding  elders. 

Missionary  Collections. 

12.  He  shall  hold  a  general  missionary  meet- 
ing at  some  convenient  place  on  his  work.  He 
shall  also  preach  a  missionary  sermon,  and 
appoint  a  soliciting  committee  at  every  appoint- 
ment, whose  duty  it  shall  be,  in  conjunction 
with  himself,  to  canvass  the  church  and  com- 
munity, personally,  and  solicit  funds  for  the 
Missionary  Society.  He  shall  also  keep  a  list 
of  the  names  of  contributors,  as  far  as  possible, 
and  report  the  same  to  conference  for  publica- 
tion with  the  minutes.  He  shall  also  establish 
monthly  missionary  prayer-meetings  wherever 
practicable  in  the  societies  of  his  charge.  He 
shall  be  held  to  strict  account  for  the  faithful 
performance  of  these  duties. 


ITINERACY.  87 

Pastoral  Visiting. 

13.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  preacher  in 
charge  of  a  station  or  circuit  to  give  as  much  of 
his  time  as  possible  to  visiting  the  families 
under  his  charge,  and  to  pay  strict  attention  to 
the  young  members  under  his  care.  This  pci- 
vate  work  of  visiting  from  house  to  house  and 
exhorting  the  people  is  founded  on  these  sol- 
emn words  of  the  apostle :  "  I  kept  back  noth- 
ing that  was  profitable  unto  you,  but  have 
shewed  you,  and  have  taught  you  publicly,  and 
from  house  to  house  "  ( Acts  20 :  20 ). 

Home  Training  of  Children. 

14.  Because  of  the  powerful  and  far-reaching 
influence  of  home  life  upon  the  young,  it  shall 
be  the  duty  of  each  pastor  to  direct  the  atten- 
tion of  his  people  to  the  vital  importance  of 
family  government  and  Christian  nurture.  He 
shall  do  this  publicly  and  privately  by  directing 
attention  to  books  and  periodicals  giving  help- 
ful instruction  upon  this  subject,  and  also  by 
presenting  in  his  public  ministrations  the 
teaching  of  God's  word  respecting  the  duty  of 
parents  to  train  up  their  children  in  the  nur- 
ture and  admonition  of  the  Lord. 

Evangelistic  Work. 

15.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  all  preachers, 


88  DISCIPLINE. 

whether  local  or  itinerant,  to  make  every 
laudable  effort  to  enlarge  the  borders  of  our 
Zion,  to  spread  scriptural  holiness,  and  to 
report  to  their  respective  annual  conferences 
the  number  of  new  appointments  established. 

Section  III. 

PKEACHEKS'  SALARIES. 

1.  The  salary  of  a  pastor  shall  be  such 
amount  as  may  be  agreed  upon  between  him 
and  the  quarterly  conference  of  the  field  of 
labor  to  which  he  is  sent.  When  a  charge 
owns  a  parsonage,  or  rents  a  house  for  the 
pastor  to  live  in,  the  charge  shall  have  credit 
for  the  same  by  the  pastor  reporting  as  so 
much  salary  the  amount  the  parsonage  would 
rent  for  or  the  amount  paid  for  the  rented  house. 

2.  A  missionary  employed  by  the  Board  of 
Missions  shall  receive  such  salary  as  in  the  judg- 
ment of  the  board  may  be  proper. 

3.  Preachers  sustaining  a  superannuated  re- 
lation, and  the  widows  and  orphans  of  deceased 
ministers,  shall  be  provided  for  by  their  re- 
spective annual  conferences,  as  their  wants 
may  require. 

Parsonage  and  Moving  of  Preacher. 

4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  a  circuit  or  sta. 
tion,  when  a  preacher  is  sent  to  it  by  annual 


APPEALS. 


conference,  to  provide  a  house  and  move  the 
preacher  at  its  own  expense. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

APPEALS. 
Section  I. 

FROM  THE  DECISION  O?  A  CLASS. 

Should  any  member  be  dissatisfied  with  the 
decision  of  a  church  or  class,  or  committee  of  a 
church  or  class,  an  appeal  may  be  had  to  the 
next  quarterly  conference  by  giving  notice 
thereof  to  the  preacher  in  charge,  ©r  the  secre- 
tary of  the  trial,  within  thirty  days  after  said 
trial,  together  with  his  reasons  for  such  appeal ; 
and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  secretary  to  fur- 
nish the  quarterly  conference  with  a  certified 
copy  of  the  proceedings  of  the  trial  and  of  the 
notice  of  the  appeal. 

Section  II. 

PKOM  THE  DECISION  OF  A  QUARTERLY 

CONFERENCE. 

Any  exhorter  or  preacher  dissatisfied  with 
the  decision  of  a  quarterly  conference  may 
appeal  to  the  ensuing  annual  conference,  within 
thirty  days  after  the  quarterly  conference,  by 
giving  notice  to  the  secretary,  in  writing,  of  his 
intention  to  appeal,  together  with  his  reason 


90  DISCIPLINE. 

for  so  doin^;  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the 
secretary  to  furnish  a  certified  copy  of  the  pro- 
ceedings, the  notification,  and  reasons  assigned, 
to  the  annual  conference. 

Section  III. 

COITKT  OP  APPEALS. 

1.  Any  member  of  an  annual  conference, 
when  dissatisfied  with  the  decision  thereof, 
shall  have  a  right  to  appeal  to  a  judicial  court, 
which  shall  be  constituted  and  governed  as 
hereinafter  stated. 

2.  Each  annual  conference,  at  the  first  ses- 
sion subsequent  to  the  session  of  the  General 
Conference,  shall  elect  by  ballot  two  members 
of  the  court,  who  shall  hold  office  for  four  con- 
secutive years. 

3.  In  case  of  an  appeal  from  an  annual  con- 
ference in  form  and  manner  hereinafter  set 
forth,  the  presiding  bishop  of  said  conference 
shall,  at  such  time  and  place  as  he  may  deter- 
mine, call  together  nine  of  the  members  of  the 
court  most  accessible  to  the  conference  fi'om 
which  the  appeal  is  taken,  who,  thus  called 
together,  shall  constitute  an  appellate  court  to 
hear  and  determine  said  appeal. 

4.  This  court  shall  organize  by  electing  a 
chairman  and  some  competent  person  as  secre- 
tary. 


APPEALS.  91 

5.  The  secretary  shall  receive  and  hold  all 
papers  and  records  pertaining  to  said  appeal, 
subject  to  the  order  of  the  chairman;  keep  a 
true  record  of  all  proceedings  of  said  court,  and 
certify  the  decision  thereof  to  the  annual  con- 
ference from  which  the  appeal  is  taken,  and 
also  to  the  appellant. 

6.  Seven  of  these  members  shall  be  neces- 
sary to  constitute  a  quorum,  and  five  must  agree 
on  a  verdict;  except  that  in  isolated  confer- 
ences a  quorum  may  consist  of  five  only. 

7.  The  decision  of  this  court  shall  in  all 
cases  be  final,  except  when  the  objections  are 
taken  on  the  ground  that  the  proceedings  were 
irregular  in  the  appUcation  of  law,  and  said 
objections  are  entered  before  the  verdict  of  the 
court  is  announced.  In  case  of  appeal  fi'om  the 
court  under  this  clause,  the  appellant  must  give 
notice  within  thirty  days  to  the  secretary  of  the 
court,  who  shall  send  a  copy  of  all  proceedings 
in  said  case  to  the  General  Conference. 

8.  In  case  of  an  appeal  fi-om  the  decision  of 
an  annual  conference,  the  ai3pellant  must  give 
written  notice  to  the  secretary  of  said  confer- 
ence, setting  forth  both  his  intention  to  appeal 
and  the  reasons  for  so  doing. 

9.  On  receipt  of  a  notice  of  appeal,  the  secre- 
tary of  the  conference  shall  immediately  notify 
the  presiding  bishop,  an<l,  on  notice  from  said 


92  DISCIPLINE. 

bishop,  transmit  a  copy  of  the  proceedings  oi 
the  conference  in  said  case  to  said  court. 

10.  The  necessary  expenses  incurred  in  the 
assembling  of  said  court  shall  be  provided  foi 
by  each  annual  conference  for  its  acting  mem- 
bers of  the  court. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SECEDING   MEMBERS. 
Special  Enactment, 

Persons  representing  themselves  as  members 
of  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ, 
and  being  insubordinate  to  the  General  Con- 
ference, and  refusing  to  obey  the  order  and 
discipline  of  the  Church,  as  pro\dded  by  the 
General  Conference,  shall  be  dealt  with  as  fol- 
lows: 

1.  In  case  a  presiding  elder  shall  be  sus- 
pended, or  expelled,  or  shall  withdraw  from 
the  Church  by  joining  another  denomination, 
or  connect  himself  with  the  minority  body 
which  seceded  from  the  General  Conference  at 
York,  Pa.,  May  13,  1889,  and  formed  a  new 
organization,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  presid- 
ing bishop  of  the  district  to  appoint  a  successor 
to  said  presiding  elder,  and  require  him  to  take 
charge  of  the  district  forthwith. 


SECEUING  MEMBERS.  93 

2.  If  the  offender  be  a  pastor,  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  the  presiding  elder  of  the  district 
to  appoint  a  successor,  and  require  him  to  oc- 
cupy said  charge  forthwith. 

3.  If  the  offender  be  a  member  of  the  quar- 
terly conference,  either  minister  or  layman,  he 
shall  be  declared  by  the  presiding  elder  as  hav- 
ing irregularly  withdrawn  from  the  Church, 
and  his  name  shall  be  erased  from  the  roll  of 
the  quarterly  conference. 

4.  If  the  offender  be  a  j^rivate  member  who 
has  irregularly  withdrawn  from  the  Church  by 
joining  the  said  seceding  organization,  it  shall 
be  the  duty  of  the  pastor  to  report  the  fact  to 
the  congregation  and  correct  the  roll  of  church 
membership. 

5.  In  the  opening  and  organization  of  an 
annual  conference  or  mission  district,  it  shall 
be  the  duty  of  the  presiding  bishop  to  require 
the  oflScer  or  member  who  calls  the  roll  to  re- 
cord, as  having  irregularly  withdrawn,  the 
names  of  those  who  have  connected  them- 
selves with  said  seceding  party. 

Provided,  that  if  any  persons  thus  aflBliating 
shall,  within  a  reasonable  time,  manifest  a 
desire  to  return  to  their  former  relation  as 
members  of  the  Church,  they  may,  with  the 
consent  of  the  local  church,  be  reinstated. 


94  DISCIPLINE. 

CHAPTER  X. 

COURSES   OF    READING   AND   STUDY. 

Section  I. 

QUARTERLY-CONFEIIEN-CE  PREACHERS. 

1.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  person  receiv- 
ing a  quarterly-conference  license  to  preach  to 
pursue  the  following  courses  of  study : 

Outline  Normal  Lessons — Hurlbut. 

Outline  Bible  Studies — Dunning. 

The  Bible:  the  Sunday-School  Text-Book— 
Holborn. 

Studies  in  the  Four  Gospels — Hurlbut. 

A  Primer  of  Christian  Evidences — Bedford. 

The  Seven  Laws  of  Teaching — Gregory. 

Progress  of  Doctrine  in  the  New  Testament- 
Bernard. 

United  Brethren  Church  History — Lawrence. 

Theological  Compend — Steele's  Binney. 

The  Young  Teacher — Groser. 

Sunday-School  Science — Holmes. 

Christian  Doctrine — Weaver. 

Practical  Comment  on  the  Confession  of 
Faith— Weaver. 

Old  Testament  History — Hurlbut. 
Examination. 

2.  At  the  fourth  quarterly  conference  of 
each  year,  the  presiding  elder  and  pastor  shall 
hold  an  examination  in  the  above  course ;  and 


COURSES  OP  EEADING  AND  STUDY.  95 

if  any  licentiate  fails  to  pass  a  satisfactory  ex- 
amination in  the  above  coarse  within  three 
years,  his  license  shall  not  be  subject  to  renewal. 

3.  All  licentiates  shall  be  required  to  com- 
plete the  quarterly-conference  course  of  study 
before  being  admitted  to  the  annual-conference 
course. 

Permanent  License. 

4.  Any  one  completing  the  above  course  of 
study  and  passing  a  satisfactory  examination  in 
the  same  shall  receive  a  license  recognizing  that 
fact,  and  not  requiring  annual  renewal,  as  long 
as  his  doctrine  and  deportment  shall  be  con- 
formable to  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  the 
usages  of  our  Church. 

Section  II. 

ANNUAL-CONFERENCE  PBEACHEE8. 

Examinations. 

1.  All  licentiate  preachers  are  to  be  ex- 
amined on  the  following  course  of  study  by  the 
annual  conference  to  which  they  belong.  These 
examinations  shall  be  in  writing,  and  graded 
according  to  the  following  scale :  (1.)  Very  good ; 
(2.)  Good;  (3.)  Medium;  (4.)  Poor;  (5.)  Very 
poor. 

2.  Licentiates  shall  be  examined,  also,  each 
year  of  their  probation,  on  the  Bil^le  and  on  the 
doctrine  and  government  of  the  Church,  as 


96  DISCIPLINE. 

taught  in  our  Book  of  Discipline,  and  shall  also 
produce  a  written  sermon  or  essay.  It  is  pre- 
sumed that  a  fair  knowledge  of  the  ordinary 
branches  of  an  English  or  German  education 
has  been  acquired  before  entering  upon  this 
course.  If  the  licentiate  does  not  possess  such 
knowledge,  he  shall  be  examined,  each  year, 
in  grammar  and  geography. 

First  Year. 

3.  Dogmatics:  Existence  and  Attributes  of 
God ;  The  Trinity ;  Creation  and  Providence — 
Pope,  Vol.  I. 

Homiletics,  Parts  I.  and  II. — Etter. 
Biblical  History — Blaikie. 
Companion  to  the  Bible — Barrow. 
Great  Commission— Harris. 
Principles  of  Rhetoric — Hill. 
Practical    Comment   on   the   Confession    of 
Faith — Weaver. 
Life  of  Otterbein — Drury. 

Second  Year. 

4.  Dogmatics :  Sin ;  Redemption ;  The  Holy 
Ghost— Pope,  Vol.  II. 

Homiletics,  Parts  III.  and  IV.— Etter. 

Church  History — Fisher. 

Mental  Philosophy — Haven. 

Manual  of  Christian  Evidences — Fisher. 


COURSES  OF   READING  AND  STUDY.  97 

Elocution — Mcllvaine. 
Life  of  Edwards  —Davis. 

Third  Year. 

5.  Dogmatics:  Regeneration;  Justification; 
Sanctification ;  The  Church ;  The  Christian  Sab- 
bath; The  Sacraments;  Last  Things — Pope, 
Vol.  III. 

Pastoral  Theology — Shedd. 

Logic — Atwater. 

The  Beginnings  of  Christianity — Fisher. 

Analogy  of  Religion — Butler. 

Christian  Ethics — Gregory. 

Life  of  Glossbrenner— Drury. 

Doctrine  of  Christian  Baptism — Etter. 

6.  Books  Recommended — Natural  Law  in  the 
Spiritual  World,  Drummond;  Imitation  of 
Christ,  Kempis;  Universal  History,  Barnes; 
Church  History,  Schaff;  Tools  and  the  Man, 
Gladden;  Foreign  Missions,  Pierson;  Antiqui- 
ties of  the  Jews,  Josephus ;  History  of  Christian 
Doctrine,  Sheldon;  Theistic  and  Christian 
Belief,  Fisher;  History  of  the  Reformation, 
Fisher;  Fresh  Light  from  the  Monuments, 
Sayce;  Parish  Problems,  Gladden;  Modern 
Doubt  and  Christian  Belief,  Christlieb ;  Pastoral 
Theology,  Hoppin ;  Biblical  Geography,  Hurl- 
but  ;  Holy  Li\'ing  and  Holy  Dying,  Taylor. 

7 


yS  DISCIPLINE. 

Section  III. 

QBKMAN  COITKSE  OP  KEADINQ. 

Qwirterly- Conference  Preachers. 

FIRST    YEAR. 

Bible,  Discipline,  Kirchen-Geschichte,  Flet- 
scher's  Appellation,  Nelson's  Ursachen  des  Un- 
glaubens,  Hare's  Rechtfertigung. 

SECOND  YEAR. 

Bible ;  Discipline ;  D'Aubigne's  Reformation- 
Geschichte ;  Christlich-Apostolisches  Glaubens- 
Bekenntniss,  von  Nast;  Bekampfung  des  Un- 
glaubens,  von  Dr.  Christlieb. 

THIRD    YEAR. 

Bible ;  Discipline ;  Zeller's  Seelenlehre ;  Phi- 
losophie  des  Erloesungs  Plans ;  Nast  Ueber  die 
Gottheit  Christi. 

Annual- Conference  Preachers. 

FIRST   YEAR. 

Kurtz's  Abriss  der  Kirchen-Geschichte; 
Clark's  Handbook;  Sulzberger's  Dogmatik — 
Part  I.;  Fleischer's  Appellation;  Nelson's 
Ursachen  des  Unglaubens;  Hare's  Rechtferti- 
gung ;  Nippert's  Practische  Theologie ;  AVurst's 
Sprachlehre;  written  sermon — subject,  Justifi- 
cation. 


COURSES  OF   READING   AND  STUDY.  99 

SECOND    YEAR. 

Bible ;  Wurst's  Sprachlehre,  continued ;  Sulz- 
berger's Dogmatik — Part  II.;  Zeller's  Seelen- 
lehre;  Philosophie  des  Erloesungs  Plans; 
D'Aubigne's  Reformation  -  Geschichte ;  Lut- 
hardt's  Apologetische  Vortrage ;  written  sermon 
— subject,  The  Christian  Sabbath. 

THIRD  YEAR. 

Bible;  Discipline;  Sulzberger's  Dogmatik — 
Part  III.;  Liscoe's  Apostohsche  Glaube;  Van 
Oosterzee's  Christologishe  Betrachtungen,  von 
Dr.  Nast ;  Christliche  Erfahrung,  von  Merrill ; 
Dr.  A.  Htilster's  Seelenlehre;  written  sermon 
—subject,  Baptism. 

Section  IV. 

COMPLETING  THE  COURSE. 

Each  annual-conference  licentiate  is  expected 
to  complete  the  prescribed  course  within  three 
years,  unless  a  good  reason  exists  for  delay; 
provided,  that  any  licentiate  who  has  completed 
the  full  course  of  study  in  Union  Biblical  Sem- 
inary, and  has  passed  the  examination  entitling 
him  to  a  diploma  of  that  institution,  may  be 
excused  from  examination  in  the  annual-con- 
ference course  of  study. 


100  DISCIPLINE. 

Section  V. 

PKEPARATION  FOR  THE  MINISTRY. 

We  urge  upon  all  who  contemplate  giving 
themselves  to  the  gospel  ministry  the  vital  im- 
portance of  completing  a  course  of  study  in 
some  one  of  our  institutions  of  learning,  and  in 
addition,  a  course  in  Union  Biblical  Seminary. 
In  exceptional  cases,  wherein  circumstances 
absolutely  forbid  such  preparation,  there 
should  be  the  utmost  diligence  given  to  well- 
advised  reading  and  study  in  order  to  success- 
ful work  in  the  ministry.  "Study  to  show 
thyself  approved  unto  God,  a  workman  that 
needeth  not  to  be  ashamed,  rightly  dividing 
the  word  of  truth." 


CHAPTER  XI. 
CHURCH  HOUSES  AND  PARSONAGES. 

Appointing  of  Trustees. 

1.  "Whenever  it  is  contemplated  to  purchase 
or  build  a  church  house  or  parsonage,  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  any  member  to  make  it  known  to 
the  quarterly  conference  of  the  circuit  or  station 
to  which  he  belongs,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to 
appoint  a  judicious  board  of  trustees  of  not  less 
than  three  in  number,  or  as  the  law  of  the 
State  may  require;  provided,  however,  that  at 


CHURCH  HOUSES  AND  PARSONAGES.  101 

least  a  majority  of  said  board  shall  be  members 
of  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ. 
The  trustees  shall  hold  their  office  during  the 
pleasure  of  the  quarterly  conference;  and  if 
any  member  of  the  board  shall  absent  himself 
from  the  meetings  of  the  board  for  one  year, 
without  good  and  sufficient  cause,  his  seat  may 
be  declared  vacant,  and  another  elected  to  fill 
the  vacancy. 

Vacancies, 

2.  When  vacancies  occur  in  the  board  of 
trustees  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  quarterly  con- 
ference to  appoint  suitable  persons  to  fill  such 
vacancies,  aud  to  see  that  the  records  of  the 
county  wherein  such  board  may  reside  shall 
correspond  with  the  facts  in  the  case,  according 
as  the  law  of  the  State  may  require,  after  such 
vacancies  have  been  filled. 

Duties  of  Trustees. 

3.  The  trustees  shall  meet  annually,  or  of  tener 
if  need  be,  and  shall  elect  from  their  number 
the  following  officers ;  namely,  a  president,  sec- 
retary, and  treasurer.  Meetings  may  be  called 
by  the  president  or  by  two  other  members  of 
the  board. 

4.  The  secretary  shall  keep  a  correct  record  of 
all  business  transactions  of  the  board  in  a  book 
provided  for  that  purpose,  which  shall  at  all 


102  DISCIPLINE. 

times  be  open  for  the  inspection  of  the  official 
board  and  the  quarterly  conference,  as  well  as 
of  the  board  of  trustees. 

5.  The  treasurer  shall  receive  all  funds  of  the 
board  for  church-house,  cemetery,  or  parsonage 
purposes,  and  pay  out  the  same  under  the 
direction  of  the  board,  on  regularly  drawn 
orders  signed  by  the  president  and  secretary, 
and  report  the  financial  condition  at  their  sev- 
eral meetings,  and  to  the  quarterly  conference 
at  least  once  each  year. 

6.  No  board  of  trustees  shall  commence  the 
building  of  a  church  house  or  parsonage  with- 
out first  submitting  their  plans  and  estimates  of 
lot,  or  lots,  and  building  to  the  official  board  or 
quarterly  conference  for  consideration,  approval, 
and  directions.  Nor  shall  they  proceed  to  buy 
or  build  without  first  procuring  an  incorpora- 
tion of  their  board,  such  as  the  State  requires, 
nor  without  securing  and  recording  a  warranty 
deed,  prepared  by  the  Church-Erection  So- 
ciety, to  themselves  and  their  successors  in 
office  for  the  real  estate  which  they  purchase, 
nor  until  they  have  the  necessary  means  either 
in  hand  or  sufficiently  assured,  thus  securing 
harmony  of  action  and  avoiding  the  involving 
of  our  houses  of  worship  and  parsonages  in 
embarrassing  debts. 

7.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  board  of  trus- 


CHURCH  HOUSES  AND  PARSON  AGES.  103 

tees  to  take  charge  of  all  the  church  property, 
employ  janitors,  furnish  light  and  fuel,  keep 
the  property  insured,  and  look  carefully  after 
other  wants  from  time  to  time. 

8.  For  the  raising  of  funds  for  extraordinary 
expenses,  such  as  building  churches  or  making 
extensive  repairs  or  paying  large  debts,  the  trus- 
tees may  devise  such  measures  as  may  be 
deemed  best,  and  report  the  same  to  the  official 
board  or  quarterly  conference  for  approval  and 
cooperation. 

Sale  and  Rent  of  Church  Houses  and  Parsonages, 

9.  The  quarterly  conference  may  authorize 
the  board  of  trustees  to  lease,  rent,  or  sell  church 
or  parsonage  property  within  its  jurisdiction; 
provided,  however,  that  said  proceeds  shall  be 
used  in  purchasing,  repairing,  or  building  new 
church  or  parsonage  property  within  its  bounds, 
except  the  interest  or  rents  accruing  from  par- 
sonage property,  which  may  be  applied  to  pay 
rent  on  the  house  occupied  by  a  pastor. 

Abandoned  Church  Houses. 

10.  When  a  house  of  worship  outside  of  the 
jurisdiction  of  any  quarterly  conference  ceases 
to  be  used  by  our  own  people  for  preaching  or 
other  religious  purposes,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of 
the  presiding  elder  of  the  district  in  which  such 


104  DISCIPLINE. 

house  is  located  to  report  to  the  annual  confer- 
ence, which  body  shall  have  power  to  appoint 
a  board  of  trustees,  who  shall  rent,  lease,  or  sell 
such  house  of  worship,  as  they  deem  advisable, 
and  report  their  proceedings  to  the  annual 
conference,  which  body  shall  have  power  to  use 
the  proceeds  to  pay  debts  on  other  houses  of 
worship,  build  new  houses,  or  turn  the  money 
into  the  funds  of  the  Church-Erection  Society, 
as  may  seem  proper,  at  its  own  discretion ;  pro- 
vided^ that  in  no  case  shall  a  church  hou^e  and 
its  premises  be  sold  without  the  consent  of  the 
annual  conference  within  whose  bounds  it  is 
located. 

Abandoned  Parsonages. 

11.  Should  any  parsonage  be  permanently 
abandoned  as  such,  the  presiding  elder  of  the 
district  in  which  such  parsonage. is  located  shall 
report  the  same  to  the  annual  conference,  which 
body  shall  have  power  to  appoint  a  board  of 
trustees,  who  shall  rent  or  sell  such  parsonage, 
and  pay  over  the  proceeds  to  the  annual  con- 
ference, which  body  shall  expend  the  same  in 
paying  debts  on  other  parsonages,  or  in  build- 
ing new  ones  within  its  borders. 

Transfer  of  Churches. 

12.  "When  a  lot  is  deeded  to  an  English  United 
Brethren  church,  or  to  a  German  United  Breth- 


CHURCH  HOUSES  AND  PARSONAGES.  105 

ren  church,  and  one  or  the  other  ceases  to  exist 
in  an  organized  form,  by  deaths,  removals,  ex- 
pulsions, or  otherwise,  the  church  remaining 
shall  have  full  right  to  make  such  improve- 
ments or  repairs  on  said  lot  as  may  be  needed 
for  worship,  and  shall  be  entitled  to  peaceable 
possession. 

Division  of  Interest. 

13.  In  cases  where  fields  of  labor  having  par- 
sonages upon  them  are  divided,  the  disposition 
of  said  parsonages  shall  be  submitted  to  a  board 
of  arbiters,  consisting  of  three  members  of  the 
Church,  one  to  be  chosen  by  each  quarterly 
conference,  and  the  third  by  these  two,  to 
whom  the  whole  matter  shall  be  referred,  their 
decision  of  the  case  being  final.  In  cases 
where  more  than  two  quarterly  conferences  are 
interested,  the  same  plan  shall  be  pursued. 

Real  Estate. 

14.  Real  estate  held  for  church  or  parsonage 
purposes  shall  be  subject  to  the  same  regula- 
tions as  houses  of  worship  and  parsonages. 

Conference  or  District  Property. 

15.  Where  there  is  no  provision  by  the  laws 
of  the  State  for  the  incorporation  of  religious 
organizations,  and  there  is  property  that  be- 
longs to  a  district  or  conference,  such  as  par- 
sonages for  the  use  of  bishops  or    presiding 


106  DISCIPLINE. 

elders,  a  conference  or  conferences  may  elect  a 
board  of  trustees,  who  shall  be  members  of  the 
Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  and 
reside  within  the  district  or  conference,  who 
shall  have  the  right  to  receive  deeds  to  property 
and  power  to  lease,  rent,  or  sell  the  same. 

16.  Any  quarterly  conference  that  has  ap- 
pointed trustees  for  a  bishop's  parsonage  shall 
fill  all  vacancies  under  the  direction  of  the  co- 
operating conferences. 

Church  Plans. 

17.  The  Church-Erection  Society  shall  pro- 
vide plans  and  specifications  for  church  houses, 
which  shall  be  supplied  to  trustees  who  apply, 
at  cost. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

MORAL   REFORM. 

Section  I. 

TEMPERANCE. 

Intoxicating  Drinks. 

1.  The  distilling,  vending,  and  using  of  in- 
toxicating drinks  as  a  beverage  are  forbidden 
throughout  our  Church,  as  are  also  the  renting 
and  leasing  of  property  to  be  used  for  the  man- 
ufacture or  sale  of  such  drinks,  as  is  also  the 
signing  of  petitions  for  granting  license,  or  the 


MORAL   REFORM.  107 

entering  as  bondsmen  for  persons  engaged  in 
the  traffic  of  intoxicating  drinks;  and  should 
any  of  our  members  or  preachers  be  found 
guilty  in  these  respects  they  shall  be  dealt  with 
as  in  the  case  of  other  immoralities ;  provided, 
however,  that  this  rule  shall  not  be  so  con- 
strued as  to  prevent  di'uggists  and  others  from 
the  vending  or  using  of  alcohol  for  medicinal 
or  mechanical  purposes. 

Tobacco. 

2.  We  believe  that  the  use  of  tobacco  in  any 
form  is  injurious  to  health,  and  a  needless  waste 
of  money  which  could  and  should  be  otherwise 
applied;  and  we  kindly  advise  our  members, 
especially  our  younger  members,  to  abstain 
from  its  use. 

Section  II. 

SIjAVERT. 

All  slavery,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  is 
totally  prohibited,  and  shall  in  n®  way  be  toler- 
ated in  our  Church.  ^ 

Section  III. 

SECKET  COMBINATIONS. 

1.    A  secret  combination  is  a  secret  league  or 


^This  law,  in  its  essential  character,  was  adopted  by 
the  General  Conference  in  1821,  Bishops  Newcomer  and 
Zeller  presiding. 


108  DISCIPLINE. 

confederation  of  persons  holding  principles  and 
laws  at  variance  with  the  word  of  God  and  in- 
jurious to  Christian  character,  as  evidenced  in 
individual  life,  and  infringing  upon  the  natural, 
social,  political,  or  religious  rights  of  those  out- 
side its  pale. 

2.  Any  member  or  minister  of  our  Church 
found  in  connection  with  such  combination 
shall  be  dealt  with  as  in  other  cases  of  disobed- 
ience to  the  order  and  discipline  of  the  Church ; 
in  case  of  members,  as  found  in  Chapter  IV., 
Section  III.,  and  in  case  of  ministers,  as  found  in 
Chapter  YI.,  Section  IX. 

Section  IV. 

OATHS. 

We  believe  that  the  mode  of  testifying  to  the 
truth  when  required  so  to  do  in  a  legal  form, 
by  way  of  affirmation,  is  on  us  solemnly,  con- 
scientiously, and  fully  binding,  before  God,  to 
tell  the  truth,  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but 
the  truth. 

Section  V. 

WAR. 

We  most  positively  record  our  disapproval 
of  engaging  in  voluntary  national  aggressive 
warfare ;  yet  we  recognize  the  rightful  author- 
ity of  the  civil  government,  and  hold  it  respon- 
sible for  the  preservation  and  defense  of  our 


MOKAL    REFOEM.  109 

national  compact,  against  treason  or  invasion 
by  any  belligerent  force,  and  we  believe  it  to 
be  entirely  consistent  with  the  spirit  of  Christi- 
anity to  bear  arms  when  called  upon  to  do  so 
by  the  properly  constituted  authorities  of  our 
government  for  its  preservation  and  defense. 

Section  VI. 

THE  MARKIAGE  RELATION. 

1.  We  believe  that  the  marriage  relation  is 
of  divine  authority ;  that  it  is  the  mutual  union 
of  one  man  and  one  woman ;  that  the  obligation 
is  most  sacred,  and  morally  binding  as  long  as 
both  shall  live,  and  therefore  cannot  be  dis- 
solved at  will,  nor  should  it  be  by  a  decree  of  a 
civil  tribunal,  except  on  evidence  that  one  party 
is  guilty  of  adultery. 

2.  On  positive  evidence  of  such  guilt  the 
innocent  party  is  freed  from  further  matrimo- 
nial obligations  and  justly  entitled  to  a  divorce. 

3.  We  deny  the  right  of  marriage  by  virtue 
of  a  divorce  obtained  for  other  causes  than 
adultery  on  the  part  of  the  person  from  whom 
the  divorce  is  obtained,  and  therefore  the  right 
of  the  guilty  party  to  remarry. 

4.  Any  person  sustaining  a  married  relation 
contrary  to  that  above  recognized  as  justifiable 
shall  be  ineligible  to  the  office  of  the  ministry 
in  this  Church. 


110  DISCIPLIJS^E. 

5.  Any  minister  of  tliis  Church  who  shall 
knowingly  solemnize  the  marriage  of  two  per- 
sons, either  of  whom  has  been  divorced  for 
other  than  the  above  justifiable  cause,  shall  be 
amenable  to  the  Church  for  disobedience  to 
the  order  thereof. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

CHURCH     PUBLICATIONS. 

Book  Committee, 

1.  The  editor  of  the  Beligious  Telescope,  the 
editor  of  the  Sabbath-school  literature,  the 
editor  of  the  German  periodicals,  the  editor  of 
the  Missionary  Visitor,  and  the  publishing  agent 
shall  constitute  a  book  committee,  without 
whose  sanction  no  book  shall  be  published  in 
the  name  of  the  Church  or  Publishing  House 
during  the  intervals  of  the  General  Conference. 

Authorship  of  Doctrinal  Publications. 

2.  No  one  of  our  preachers  or  laymen  shall 
become  the  author  of  any  doctrinal  book  or 
pamphlet,  in  a  printed  form,  in  the  name  of 
the  Church,  without  the  approbation  of  the 
book  committee  or  the  annual  conference,  or  of 
a  committee  chosen  by  the  latter.  And  if  any 
preacher  or  layman  violates  this  rule,  he  shall 
be  accountable  to  the  class  or  to  the  quarterly 
or  annual  conference,  as  the  case  may  be. 


BOARD  OF  CHURCH   TRUSTEES.  Ill 

GHAPTER  XIV. 
BOARD  OF   CHURCH  TRUSTEES. 

Section  1.  Be  it  ordained  by  the  General  Con- 
feirnce  of  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in 
Christ,  That  there  shall  be  located  in  Dayton, 
Ohio,  an  incorporated  Board  of  Trustees  for  the 
Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  con- 
sisting of  twelve  members,  a  majority  of  whom 
shall  be  citizens  of  Ohio,  elected  by  the  General 
Conference  of  said  Church  for  a  term  of  four 
years,  or  until  their  successors  are  so  elected. 
Said  board  shall  be  known  as  "The  Trustees  of 
the  United  Brethren  in  Christ." 

Sec.  2.  The  organization  of  this  board  shall 
be  effected  by  the  election  of  a  president,  sec- 
retary, and  treasurer.  It  shall  meet  on  the  call 
of  the  president  annually,  or  w^henever  the 
president  and  secretary  may  determine.  The 
board  may  elect  an  executive  committee  with 
authority  to  transact  any  necessary  business  in 
the  interim  of  the  board's  sessions,  subject  to 
the  approval  of  the  board. 

Sec.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  board  to 
receive,  hold  in  trust,  or  apply,  for  the  benefit 
of  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ, 
any  and  all  funds,  donations,  grants,  and  be- 
quests that  may  be  given,  directed,  or  conveyed 
to  such  board  or  Church  as  such,  for  any  be- 


112  DISCIPLINE. 

nevolent  purpose  [whatever.  All  such  funds 
and  the  proceeds  thereof  shall  be  applied  in 
harmony  with  the  specified  purpose  of  the 
donors,  or,  in  the  absence  of  such  specifications, 
as  the  board  may  determine. 

Sec.  4.  The  board  shall  report  to  the  quad- 
rennial sessions  of  the  General  Conference  of 
said  Church  all  funds  and  property  received  for 
the  Church  and  the  disposition  made  of  the 
same,  and  shall  be  answerable  to,  and  under  the 
direction  of,  said  General  Conference. 

Sec.  5.  The  board,  at  its  first  regular  meeting 
of  each  quadrennium,  shall  organize  by  electing 
a  president,  secretary,  and  treasurer. 


CHAPTER  XV. 
SABBATH  SCHOOLS. 

For  the  benefit  of  the  rising  generation  and 
the  upbuilding  of  the  church  of  Christ,  Sab- 
bath schools  shall  be  organized  wherever  prac- 
ticable. They  shall  be  organized  and  conducted 
in  harmony  with  the  provisions  following  in 

this  chapter. 

Section  I. 

CONSTITTTTION  OP  GENERAL  SABBATH-SCHOOL 
BOARD. 

ARTICLE  I. 

Name. 
This  organization  shall  be  called  "The  Gen- 


SABBATH    SCHOOLS.  113 

eral  Sabbath-School  Board  of  the  United  Breth- 
ren in  Christ." 

ARTICLE  II. 

Composition. 

This  board  shall  be  composed  of  five  direcfors 
and  one  secretary,  who  shall  be  elected  by  the 
General  Conference  every  four  years.  Two 
members  of  this  board  shall  be  laymen. 

ARTICLE  III. 

Organization. 

This  board  shall  be  organized  by  electing  one 
of  their  number  president,  and  some  suitable 
person  treasurer. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

Object. 

The  object  of  this  board  shall  be  to  promote 
the  cause  of  Sabbath  schools  in  connection  with 
our  Church  and  elsewhere,  and  thus,  by  united 
efibrt,  to  promote  the  glory  of  God  and  the 
happiness  and  salvation  of  mankind. 

ARTICLE  V. 

Annual  Collections. 

The  General  Sabbath-School  Board  may  appor- 
tion to  the  annual  conferences  an  amount  equal 
to   three   cents   per   member   for  the  whole 
8 


114  DISCIPLINE. 

Church,  which  amount  shall  be  apportioned  to 
the  several  conferences  according  to  their  ability. 
Said  funds  shall  be  used  in  carrying  forward  the 
general  Sunday-school  work. 

AETICLE    VI. 

Duties  of  Officers. 

Section  1.  The  president  shall  have  the  oper- 
ations of  the  board  under  his  care.  He  shall 
call  meetings  of  the  board  when  necessary,  and 
present  the  wants  of  the  board;  and  he  shall 
sign  all  orders  drawn  on  the  treasurer  for  the 
use  of  the  board,  as  appropriated  by  it. 

Sec.  2.  The  secretary  shall  keep  a  record 
of  all  the  business  transactions  of  the  board, 
conduct  its  correspondence,  report  to  it  annu- 
ally or  often er  if  desired,  and  make  such 
reports  for  it  to  the  General  Conference  as  may 
be  required,  and  if  practicable,  at  the  request 
of  the  board,  devote  his  whole  time  to  its 
interests. 

Sec  3.  The  treasurer  shall  take  charge 
of  and  hold  in  trust  all  the  funds  and  papers  of 
value  belonging  to  the  board,  subject  to  its 
direction  and  the  written  order  of  the  president. 

AKTICLE  VII. 

Meetings^  Powers^  and  Duties  of  the  Board. 
Meetings  of  the  board  shall  be  held  annually. 


SABBATH    SCHOOLS.  115 

or  oftener  if  need  be,  at  the  call  of  the  presi- 
dent, to  provide  ways  and  means  for  the  suc- 
cessful operation  of  its  plans.  It  shall  appro- 
priate money  to  defray  all  necessary  expenses, 
and  no  money  shall  be  paid  out  of  its  funds 
except  by  its  express  order.  It  shall  have 
power  to  fill  vacancies  in  its  numbers,  and  to 
employ  any  suitable  person  or  persons  to  per- 
form needed  services  for  the  advancement  of 
the  objects  under  its  direction.  It  shall  also, 
through  its  secretary,  make  quadrennial  reports 
to  the  General  Conference. 

ARTICLE  VIII. 

Appropriations. 

Section  1.  The  funds  of  the  board  shall  be 
used  as  follows : 

(1.)  To  assist  in  organizing  and  sustaining 
Sabbath  schools  in  such  localities  and  in  such 
manner  as  may  be  advisable. 

(2.)  To  conduct  the  business  and  carry  for- 
ward the  work  of  the  board. 

Applications  for  Aid, 

Sec.  2.  When  aid  is  needed,  those  making  the 
application  shall  first  organize  a  United  Breth- 
ren Sabbath  school  by  adopting  the  disciplinary 
regulations  of  the  Church,  and  shall  report  the 
fact  to  the  secretary,  as  well  as  the  kind  and 


116  DISCIPLINE. 

amount  of  help  needed ;  and  upon  a  favorable 
consideration  of  the  application,  such  supplies 
as  may  be  considered  necessary  and  advisable 
shall  be  furnished.  Such  donations  shall,  how- 
ever, be  discontinued  unless  a  church  organiza- 
tion shall  be  effected  after  a  reasonable  time. 

Section  II. 

ANNUAL-CONFERENCE    RELATIONS    AND    DUTIES. 

Officers. 

1.  Each  conference  shall  annually  elect  one 
person  who  shall  be  Sabbath-school  secretary 
and  treasurer,  who  shall  be  an  advisory  mem- 
ber of  the  General  Sabbath-School  Board,  and 
whose  duty  it  shall  be,  to  give  diligent  attention 
to  all  the  interests  of  this  board  before  the  con- 
ference ;  to  receive  and  transmit  the  funds  for 
this  board  to  the  treasurer  thereof ;  to  be  faith- 
ful in  correspondence  with  the  secretary  of  this 
board ;  to  hold  at  a  convenient  time  during  the 
session  a  Sabbath-school  anniversary  for  the 
purpose  of  advancing  the  Sabbath-school  cause. 

Pastor^ s  Duties. 

2.  The  pastor  shall  have  general  supervision 
of  all  the  Sabbath  schools  on  his  charge.  It 
shall  be  his  duty  to  be  present  at  all  sessions  of 
the  Sabbath  school  as  far  as  practicable ;  to 
preside  at  all  business  meetings  when  present, 


SABBATH  SCHOOLS.  117 

and  at  all  meetings  for  the  organization  of 
Sabbath  schools.  He  shall  organize  a  Sabbath 
school  at  each  appointment  on  his  charge, 
where  there  is  not  one  already ;  he  shall  preach 
on  the  subject  at  each  appointment  at  least 
once  a  year;  he  shall  report  to  his  conference 
the  number  of  schools,  the  number  of  offi- 
cers and  teachers  employed,  the  number  of 
scholars  enrolled,  the  number  of  conversions 
among  the  scholars,  the  number  of  schools 
continuing  through  the  year,  and  the  amount 
of  money  collected  for  the  use  of  schools,  for 
the  general  fund,  for  missions,  and  for  any  other 
purpose. 

Section  III. 

OaOANIZATlON  OF  SABBATH  SCHOOLS. 

1.  The  pastor  shall  pursue  the  following 
plan  in  organizing  a  new  school  at  any  one  of 
his  appointments,  or  in  reorganizing  a  school 
which  has  not  adopted  the  constitution  herein- 
after provided.  The  pastor  shall  announce  a 
meeting  for  the  purpose,  and  he  shall  act  as 
chairman.  The  pastor,  the  class-leaders,  and 
the  stewards  shall  constitute  a  committee  to 
present  the  names  of  two  suitable  persons  for 
superintendent  and  two  suitable  persons  for 
assistant  superintendent.  The  election  shall  be 
by  ballot,  and  enrolled  members  of  the  school 


118  DISCIPLINE, 

over  twelve  years  of  age  shall  have  the  privi- 
lege of  voting.  The  nominees  receiving  the 
highest  number  of  votes  shall  be  declared 
elected.  The  officers  necessary  shall  be  elected 
as  the  pastor,  superintendent,  and  school  may 
determine. 

Officen. 

2.  The  superintendent  and  other  general 
officers  of  the  school  shall  hold  their  respective 
offices  one  year,  or  until  their  successors  shall 
have  been  appointed  in  the  manner  prescribed 
in  the  constitution. 

Superintendents  Duties. 

3.  The  superintendent  shall  render  to  each 
quarterly  conference  an  account  of  the  condi- 
tion of  his  school,  stating  also  whether  he  is 
prompt  in  opening  and  orderly  in  his  manage- 
ment of  the  same,  and  at  the  close  of  his  term 
he  shall  see  that  a  successor  is  selected  after  the 
manner  prescribed;  provided,  that  on  stations 
where  it  shall  be  thought  best  by  the  pastor, 
the  quarterly  conference  may  elect  the  superin- 
tendent. 

Dismissal  of  Superintendent. 

4.  The  quarterly  conference  shall  have 
power  to  dismiss  a  superintendent  for  immoral 
conduct,  heresy,  or  insubordination. 


SABBATH    SCHOOLS.  119 

Section  IV. 

SABBATH  SCHOOLS  AND    THE    MISSIONARY  WOHZ. 

Each  of  our  Sabbath  schools  is  hereby  con- 
stituted an  auxiliary  to  the  branch  missionary 
society  within  whose  limits  it  is  located;  and 
the  superintendent  is  expected  to  take  a  collec- 
tion at  least  once  each  quarter  for  the  cause  of 
missions,  and  report  the  amount  to  the  pastor 
or  branch  treasurer.  Any  member  may  become 
a  life  member  of  the  auxiliary  by  the  payment 
of  three  dollars,  and  shall  be  entitled  to  a  cer- 
tificate of  life  membership. 

Section  Y. 

FORM  OP  constitution  FOR  A  SABBATH  SCHOOL. 

All  Sabbath  schools  shall  be  governed  by 
the  following  constitution;  provided,  that  any 
school  may  have  the  privilege  of  enacting  such 
by-laws  for  its  better  regulation  as  will  not  con- 
flict with  the  constitution. 

AETICLE   I. 

This  school  shall  be  known  as  the  United 
Brethren  Sabbath  School  of . 

ARTICLE  II. 

The  object  of  the  school  shall  be  to  gather  in 
all,  both  old  and  young,  as  far  as  possible,  for 
instruction  in  and  the  study  of  the  Bible,  and 


120  DISCIPLINE. 

to  promote  the  worship  of  God,  and  to  secure 
the  salvation  of  precious  souls. 

AKTICLE  III. 

Section  1.  The  officers  shall  be  the  pastor,  a 
superintendent,  a  Secretary,  a  treasurer,  a  libra- 
rian, and,  when  desired  by  the  school,  a  chorister 
and  organist.  The  duties  of  these  officers  shall 
be  such  as  usually  pertain  to  such  officers ;  and 
whenever  it  is  generally  deemed  necessary  for 
the  interests  of  the  school,  an  assistant  may  be 
elected  to  each  of  these  offices,  each  of  whom 
shall  be  subject  in  his  official  duties  to  his 
superior  officer,  except  in  the  absence  of  such 
superior. 

Sec.  2.  There  shall  also  be  an  executive  com- 
mittee of  three  or  five,  chosen  by  the  school. 
The  pastor  and  superintendent  shall  be  mem- 
bers ex  officio;  and  a  majority  shall  be  mem- 
bers of  the  United  Brethren  church  at , 

whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  select  and  order  a 
suitable  amount  of  our  own  literature  and  helps 
for  the  school  from  time  to  time,  and  look  after 
the  general  interests  of  the  school. 

Sec.  3.  The  superintendent,  when  at  all  pos- 
sible, shall  be  a  member  of  the  United  Brethren 
Church,  in  good  and  regular  standing. 

Sec.  4.  When  a  superintendent  is  to  be 
chosen,  the  official  members  of  the  church  shall 


SABBATH  SCHOOLS.  121 

present  to  the  school  the  names  of  at  least  two 
suitable  persons  for  superintendent,  and  the  one 
receiving  the  highest  number  of  votes  shall  be 
declared  elected;  provided,  that  the  election 
shall  be  by  ballot,  and  only  enrolled  members 
of  the  school  above  twelve  years  of  age  shall  be 
allowed  to  vote.  The  secretary,  treasurer, 
librarian,  chorister,  and  organist  shall  be  elected 
by  the  school.  The  teachers  shall  be  appointed 
by  the  superintendent,  with  the  approval  of 
the  pastor. 

Sec.  5.  The  pastor  of  the  church  shall  preside 
at  each  annual  election,  whenever  practicable, 
and  the  superintendent  or  pastor  shall  preside  at 
all  special  elections. 

AETICLE  IV. 

Vacancies  for  unexpired  terms  shall  be  filled 
in  the  manner  and  form  as  above  provided  for 
annual  reorganization.  The  executive  com- 
mittee, provided  for  in  Article  III.,  Section  2, — 
except  the  pastor  and  superintendent,  who  shall 
be  ex  officio  members  thereof, — shall  be  chosen 
annually  by  the  officers  and  teachers  of  the 
school. 

ARTICLE  V. 

The  place  of  meeting  for  the  Sabbath  school 
shall  be  the  usual  place  of  meeting  for  the 
United  Brethren  church  services,  and  at  such 


122  DISCIPLINE. 

hours  of  the  day  as  shall  not  interfere  with  the 
other  church  services. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

YOUNG   people's   CHRISTIAN   UNION. 

Section  I. 

ORGANIZATION. 

1.  The  Young  People's  Christian  Union  of 
the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  shall  consist  of 
the  young  people's  societies  organized  as  pro- 
vided in  its  constitution.  It  shall  be  under  the 
direction  of  the  executive  council. 

2.  The  executive  council  shall  consist  of 
nine  members,  including  the  president  and  cor- 
responding secretary  of  the  Young  People's 
Christian  Union.  Of  the  seven  members  to  be 
elected,  four  shall  be  chosen  by  the  General 
Conference  and  three  by  the  Young  People's 
Christian  Union.  The  executive  council  shall 
make  a  quadrennial  report  to  the  General  Con- 
ference. 

3.  The  president  of  the  local  young  people's 
society  shall  be  a  member  of  the  Church  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ,  and  shall  be  a  mem- 
ber of  the  quarterly  conference  of  the  charge 
to  which  the  society  belongs. 

4.  The  organ  of  the  Young  People's  Chris- 
tian Union  shall  be  the  Young  People' s  Watchword, 


YOUNG  people's  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  123 

upon],  published  under  the  direction  of  the 
trustees  and  agent  of  the  Publishing  House, 
the  editor  of  which  shall  be  chosen  by  the 
General  Conference.  This  paper  shall  be  de- 
voted specifically  to  the  work  of  the  Young  Peo- 
ple's Christian  ITuion,  and  it  shall  be  so  limited 
in  its  scope  as  not  to  interfere  with  the  proper 
field  of  the  Religious  Telescope  and  the  other 
Church  periodicals.  In  directing  the  plan  and 
policy  of  this  paper  the  executive  council 
shall  advise  and  assist.  The  editor  may  serve 
as  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Young  Peo- 
ple's Christian  Union,  subject  to  the  action  of 
the  union. 

Section  II. 

CONSTITUTION. 
ARTICLE  I. 

Name, 

This  organization  shall  be  called  "The  Young 
People's  Christian  Union  of  the  Church  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ." 

ARTICLE  n. 

Object. 

The  object  of  this  union  shall  be  to  unite  tHe 
young  people's  Christian  societies  of  the  entire 
Church,  of  whatever  name,  for  mutual  helpful- 
ness, for  stimulating  Church  loyalty  and  an 


124  DISCIPLUIfi. 

intelKgent  interest  in  the  "various  Church  enter- 
prises, and  for  the  organization  and  extension 
of  young  people's  Christian  societies  within  the 
Church, 

ARTICLB   III. 

Memf^enTiip, 
Any  young  people's  Christian  society,  of  -what- 
ever name,  connected  with  any  congregation  of 
the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  may  become  a 
member  of  this  union  upon  the  following  con- 
ditions: 

1.  That  it  be  enrolled  at  the  office  of  this 
union,  either  directly  or  through  the  confer- 
ence branch. 

2.  That  it  adopt  the  following  articles  as  part 
of  its  constitution : 

(o.)  The  article  on  "Object"  shall  include: 
"It  shall  be  the  object  of  this  society  to  pro- 
mote an  earnest  Christian  life  among  its  mem- 
bers, to  increase  their  mutual  acquaintance,  to 
make  them  more  useful  in  the  service  of  God, 
to  promote  loyalty  to  the  Church  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ,  to  study  its  life  and  interests, 
and  to  seek  in  every  proper  way  to  assist  the 
growth  of  both  the  local  church  and  the  de- 
nomination at  large,  as  our  particular  part  of 
God's  Zion." 

(&.)  As  a  separate  clause  or  article:  "This 
society  shall  at  no  time  adopt  any  rule  or  prac- 


YOUNG  people's  CHRISTIAN  UNION.         125 

tice  contrary  to  the  discipline  and  usages  of  the 
United  Brethren  Church." 
(c.)    As  a  separate  clause :  "This  society  shall 

be  auxiliary  to  the Conference  Branch 

of  the  Young  People's  Christian  Union  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ." 

ABTICLE  IV. 

Officers, 

Section  1.  The  officers  of  the  union  shall 
consist  of  a  president,  vice-president  for  each 
bishop's  district,  recording  secretary,  corre- 
sponding secretary,  treasurer,  and  an  executive 
council. 

Sec.  2.  The  executive  council  shall  consist 
of  the  president,  corresponding  secretary,  and 
seven  members. 

Sec.  3.  These  officers,  except  four  members 
of  the  executive  council  to  be  chosen  by  the 
General  Conference,  shall  be  elected  at  the 
regular  meetings  of  the  union,  and  shall  serve 
until  their  successors  are  duly  elected.  This 
election  shall  be  by  ballot,  upon  the  recommen- 
dation of  a  nominating  committee,  which  shall 
report  twice  the  number  of  names  necessary 
for  each  office. 

Sec.  4.  The  executive  council  shall  have 
power  to  fill  vacancies  occurring  during  the 
intervals  of  the  meetings  of  the  union. 


126  DISCIPLINE. 

ARTICLE  V. 

Duties  of  Officers, 

Section  1.  The  president,  recording  secre- 
tary, and  treasurer  shall  perform  the  duties 
usually  devolving  upon  such  officers. 

Sec.  2.  In  addition  to  his  ordinary  duties 
the  vice-president  living  in  each  district  shall 
be  the  organizer  for  that  district,  and  shall 
perform  such  other  duties  as  may  be  directed 
by  the  executive  council. 

Sec.  3.  The  corresponding  secretary  shall 
keep  a  list  of  all  the  branches  and  of  all  the 
young  people's  societies  in  the  Church,  with 
the  name  of  the  president  and  corresponding 
secretary  of  each.  He  shall  conduct  all  corre- 
spondence, give  notice  of  all  meetings  of  the 
union  and  of  the  executive  council,  collect 
any  statistics  that  may  be  desired,  make  a 
report  of  the  operations  of  the  union  to  the 
General  Conference,  and  perform  such  other 
duties  as  may  be  required  by  the  union  or  by 
the  executive  council. 

Sec  4.  The  treasurer  shall  pay  out  money 
only  on  the  order  of  the  union  or  the  execu- 
tive council,  signed  by  the  president  and  secre- 
tary. 

Sec.  5.  The  executive  council  shall  meet 
annually  at  such  time  and  place  as  it  may 


YOUNG   people's  CHRISTIAN  UNION.  127 

determine.  It  shall  have  general  control  of 
the  union,  call  meetings,  prepare  programs, 
provide  for  the  expenses,  labor  to  promote  the 
organization  of  branches  in  all  the  annual  con- 
ferences and  of  local  societies  throughout  the 
Church,  pro\dde  such  literature  for  the  societies 
as  the  union  may  decide  or  the  council  deem 
proper,  and  attend  to  such  other  matters  as 
may  be  necessaiy  during  the  intervals  of  the 
meetings  of  the  union.  It  shall  make  reports 
of  its  transactions  to  the  union. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

Conference  Branch  Unions, 

Section  1.  The  local  societies  of  any  confer- 
ence shall  constitute  a  branch  of  this  union,  to 
be  known  by  the  name  of  the  conference. 

Sec.  2,  These  branches  shall  be  governed 
by  the  branch  constitution  provided  by  this 
union. 

Sec.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  confer- 
ence branch  to  have  a  complete  list  of  the 
societies  in  the  conference,  to  report  them  to 
the  corresponding  secretary  of  this  union,  and 
to  collect  from  each  society  an  annual  due  of 
$1.00,  of  which  seventy -five  cents  shall  be  paid 
to  the  treasurer  of  this  union. 


128  DISCIPLINE. 

AUTICLB  VII. 

Conventions. 

Section  1.  The  union  shall  hold  biennial 
meetings,  at  such  time  and  place  as  the  execu- 
tive council  may  determine,  for  the  transaction 
of  business  and  the  discussion  of  topics  relating 
to  Christian  work. 

Sec.  2.  These  conventions  shall  be  com- 
posed of  all  members  of  local  societies  and  all 
United  Brethren  ministers  attending  the  con- 
ventions of  this  union,  and  three  duly  accredited 
delegates  from  each  conference  branch. 

Sec.  3.  The  business  of  the  conventions  shall 
be  of  two  kinds — deliberative  and  executive. 

Sec.  4.  Executive  business  shall  consist  of 
the  following  only : 

(a.)    Changes  in  the  Constitution. 

(b.)    Election  of  officers. 

(c.)  Authorizing  the  collection  and  payment 
of  money. 

Sec.  5.  Upon  executive  business  all  mem- 
bers may  debate,  but  only  the  delegates  from 
the>  conference  branches  may  vote. 

ARTICLE  VIII. 

Amendments, 

This  constitution  may  be  amended  at  any 
regular  meeting  of  the  union  by  a  vote  of  two- 


MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  129 

thirds  of  the  delegates  present,  notice  having 
been  given  six  hours  in  advance. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 
HOME,   FRONTIER,   A^'D    FOREIGN    MISSION- 
ARY  SOCIETY. 
CONSTITTTTION. 
ARTICLE  I. 

Name, 
This  society  shall  be  called  the  "Home, 
Frontier,  and  Foreign  jNIissionary  Society  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ,"  and  is  organized 
for  the  purpose  of  aiding  the  annual  conferences 
in  extending  their  missionary  labors  throughout 
the  country,  and  into  foreign  and  heathen  lands. 

ARTICLE  II. 

lAfe  Members  and  Directors. 
The  payment  of  ten  dollars  at  one  time 
shall  constitute  a  life  member,  or  fifty  dollars 
at  one  time  a  life  director.  No  certificate  of 
life  membei-ship  or  life  directorship  shall  be 
granted  until  the  full  amount  is  paid. 

ARTICLE  in. 
Officers, 
The   officers   of   this    society   shall   consist 
of  the  bishops  of  the  Church,  who  shall  be 


130  DISCIPLINB.' 

officers  ex  offidOf  the  senior  bishop  being  presi- 
dent, and  the  other  bishops  ranking  as  vice- 
presidents  according  to  seniority ;  also  a  secre- 
tary and  a  treasurer,  who  shall  be  elected  every 
four  years  by  the  General  Conference.  The 
General  Conference  shall  also  elect,  every  four 
years,  seven  directors ;  also,  each  annual  confer- 
ence shall  be  entitled  to  a  representative,  min- 
ister or  lajTnan,  to  be  elected  by  the  conference 
annually.  These  shall  be  entitled  to  all  the 
privileges  of  directors;  and  each  conference 
shall  provide  for  the  expense  of  its  delegate. 
These,  with  the  above  named  officers  and  direc- 
tors, shall  constitute  the  board  of  directors. 
The  number  present  at  any  regular  or  called 
meeting  shall  constitute  a  quorum. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

Duties  of  President 

The  president  shall  preside  at  all  meet- 
ings of  the  board,  and  shall  have  power,  in 
conjunction  with  the  secretary,  to  call  special 
meetings.  In  the  absence  of  the  president,  one 
of  the  vice-presidents  shall  fill  his  place. 

ARTICLE  V. 

Duties  of  Secretary, 

The  secretary  shall  keep  a  correct  record 
of  all  the  proceedings  of  the  society,  conduct 


MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  131 

its  correspondence,  and  devote  himself  exclu- 
sively to  the  interests  of  the  society.  He  shall 
keep  a  record  of  all  the  life  members,  life  direc- 
tors, legacies,  etc.  He  shall  also  make  out  and 
pubHsh,  under  the  direction  of  the  board,  an 
annual  report  of  the  whole  missionary  work ; 
also  a  quadrennial  report  to  the  General  Con- 
ference. His  salary  shall  be  determined  by  the 
General  Conference. 

ARTICLE  VL 

Duties  of  Treasurer, 

The  treasurer  shall  hold  the  funds  of  the 
society,  subject  to  the  order  of  the  board,  and, 
at  the  discretion  of  the  board,  devote  himself 
exclusively  to  the  interests  of  the  Missionary 
Society.  His  salary  shall  be  determined  by  the 
General  Conference. 

ARTICLE  VII. 

Ihities  of  the  Board  of  Directors. 
The  board  of  directors  shall  hold  annual 
meetings ;  have  power  to  appoint  an  executive 
committee,  consisting  of  five  members;  make 
by-laws  to  regulate  its  own  business;  appro- 
priate money  to  defray  incidental  expenses; 
employ  missionaries  and  agents;  open  new 
missions ;  make  appropriations  to  mission  con- 
ferences ;  employ  laborers  for  mission  districts ; 


132  DISOFLINB. 

dissolve  mission  conferences;  fill  vacancies  in 
its  own  body;  in  connection  with  the  bishops 
or  any  one  of  them,  ordain  ministers  to  the 
office  of  elder;  and  publish,  at  our  own  press, 
such  matter  as  the  cause  may  from  time  to 
time  demand. 

AsncLB  vm. 

Mission  Districts, 

A  mission  district  shall  consist  of  two 
or  more  fields  of  labor,  outside  the  bounds  of 
an  annual  conference.  Its  annual  sessions 
shall  be  presided  over  by  a  bishop,  or  an  elder 
appointed  by  the  Board  of  Missions.  At  these 
meetings  the  boundaries  of  fields  of  labor  shall 
be  fixed,  the  character  of  members  examined, 
preachers  may  be  received,  examined  and 
passed  on  course  of  reading,  and  be  ordained. 
A  presiding  elder  may  be  elected,  if  the  Board 
of  Missions  bo  advise,  and  ministers  appointed 
to  fill  the  fields  of  labor  by  the  presiding  officer 
and  the  presiding  elder. 

ARTICLE  IX, 

Missionaries, 

Each  missionary  in  the  employ  of  the  board 

shall  report  quarterly  to  the    secretary    the 

condition  of  his  mission;  and  no  missionary 

ehall  be  entitled  to  his  salary  who  shall  neglect 


MSISIONARY    BOCIETY,  133 

to  comply  with  this  requirement,  or  leave  his 
work  without  the  consent  of  the  executive 
committee,  or  the  Board  of  Missions,  or  his  pre- 
siding elder.  The  presiding  elders  of  mission 
conferences  shall  report  quarterly  the  condition 
of  their  respective  works. 

AETICLE  X. 

Thank  Offering, 

All  pastors  in  charge  of  fields  of  labor  shall 
annually  in  the  month  of  November  take  a 
thank-offering  collection  at  each  appointment 
on  their  charges  of  not  less  than  five  cents  per 
member,  which  shall  be  sent  to  our  general 
missionary  treasurer  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  be 
sacred  to  foreign  missions.  Each  pastor  shall  also 
report  said  collections  to  his  annual  conference, 
with  the  cause  of  failure  in  case  said  required 
amount  is  not  secured. 

ARTICLE  XI. 

Branch  Officers, 

Each  conference  shall  be  considered  a  branch 
of  this  society,  and  shall  elect  a  treasurer 
and  secretary. 

Section  1.  The  branch  treasurer  shall  hold 
the  funds  designed  for  the  board,  subject  to  its 
order. 

Sec  2.    The  branch  secretary  shall  keep  a 


134  DISCIPLINE. 

record  of  the  proceedings  of  the  annual  confer- 
ence in  relation  to  home,  frontier,  and  foreign 
missions,  separately,  and  report  the  same  im- 
mediately after  the  session  of  the  conference  to 
the  secretary  of  the  board.  He  shall  report  the 
number  of  missions,  appointments,  meeting- 
houses, members  at  the  beginning  of  the  year, 
members  received,  and  members  remaining; 
Sabbath  schools,  scholars,  and  teachers ;  what 
paid  on  missions  as  salary,  what  collected  for 
missions  on  missions ;  what  collected  for  mis- 
sions in  the  whole  conference ;  how  much  paid 
the  parent  board,  and  how  much  paid  to  home 
missions ;  and  the  names  and  postojffice  addresses 
of  life  directors  and  life  members.  The  branch 
secretaries  shall  be  responsible  to  their  respec- 
tive annual  conferences  for  the  faithful  dis- 
charge of  their  duties. 

AKTiCLB  xn. 

Object  of  Contributions, 

The  branch  societies  or  individual  mem- 
bers may  specify  to  what  particular  portion 
of  the^work  their  funds  shall  be  applied;  pro- 
videdf  hmueveVf  that  if  more  is  thus  designated 
than  is  necessary  for  the  work  specified,  it  may 
be  applied  to  some  other  work,  as  the  board 
shall  determine. 


MISSIONARY  SOCIETY.  135 

ARTICLE  XILL 

Home  Missions. 
EsLCh  branch  society  shall  have  the  ex- 
clusive management  of  the  home  missions 
within  its  own  limits;  provided,  however,  that 
the  missionary  board  shall  be  permitted  to 
open  and  operate  missions  within  the  bounds 
of  any  annual  conference,  jointly  or  independ- 
ently, by  the  consent  of  such  conference. 

ARTICLE  XIV. 

Treasurers^  Security, 
Treasurers  of  the  parent  board  and  of  branch 
societies  shall  give  approved  security. 

ARTICLE  XV. 

Bequests. 
All  bequests  and  donations,  the  interest  of 
which  is  to  go  to  missionary  purposes,  made  to 
any  of  the  above  societies,  shall  be  kept  sacred. 

ARTICLE  XVI. 

Formation  of  Self-Supporting  Conferences. 

The  bishops  shall  recommend  annually  to 
the  Board  of  Missions  which,  if  any,  mission 
conferences  should  become  self-supporting,  and 
on  the  approval  of  the  Board  of  Missions  shall 
give  notice  to  said  conference  one  year  before 
being  made  self-supporting. 


130  DISCIPLINE. 

ABTICLB  XVn. 

Unoccupied  Territory. 

The  Board  of  Missions  is  permitted  to  occupy 
any  territory  -within  tlie  bounds  of  an  annual 
conference  not  occupied  by  said  conference, 
ARTICLE  xvni. 
Local  Societies, 

Section  1.  Local  societies  may  oe  organized 
in  any  United  Brethren  congregation  by  secur- 
ing names  and  electing  officers. 

Sec.  2.  The  officers  of  these  societies  shall  be 
a  president,  vice-president,  secretary,  and  treas- 
urer. 

Sec.  3.  The  object  of  these  societies  shall  be 
to  enlist  and  educate  the  membership,  especially 
the  young  people,  in  missionary  work  in  the 
home  and  foreign  field. 

Sec.  4.  The  treasurer  shall  hold  all  the  funds 
of  the  society  and  transmit  the  same  through 
the  pastor  of  the  charge  annually  to  the  branch 
society. 

Sec.  5.  Any  person  may  become  a  member 
of  a  local  society  upon  such  terms  as  said 
society  shall  designate. 

Sec.  6.  All  societies  shall  hold  quarterly 
meetings  for  the  purpose  of  transacting  busi- 
ness, securing  money,  and  cultivating  the  spirit 
of  Christian  missions. 


woman's  missionary  association.       137 

CHAPTEK  XVIIL 
woman's  missionary  association. 

Section  I. 

ABTICLES   OF  Ili CORPORATION. 

1.  The  name  by  which  this  corporation  shall 
be  known  is,  "The  Woman's  Missionary  Asso- 
ciation of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,"  and 
the  said  organization  is  not  for  profit. 

2.  The  principal  business  of  the  said  corpo- 
ration is  to  be  transacted  in  the  city  of  Dayton, 
county  of  Montgomery,  State  of  Ohio. 

3.  Said  corporation  is  formed  for  the  purpose 
of  engaging  and  uniting  the  eflforts  of  women 
in  sending  missionaries  into  the  foreign  and 
domestic  fields  of  the  United  Brethren  Church, 
and  supporting  said  missionaries  and  other 
laborers  in  said  mission  fields,  and  in  securing 
by  gift,  bequest,  and  otherwise,  the  funds  nec- 
essary for  the  purpose  aforesaid. 

4.  Said  corporation  is  not  to  have  capitaJ 
stock. 

Section  II, 

BY-LAWS. 
BY-LAW    I. 

Membership. 

The  payment  of  $1  annually  shall  constitute 
membership  in  this  association,  and  payment 


138  DISCIPLINE. 

of  $10  at  one  time  life  membersliip.  The  pay- 
ment of  $25  at  one  time  shall  constitute  the 
donor  a  life  director.  The  payment  of  $100  at 
one  time  shall  constitute  the  donor  a  life  patron. 
By  the  installment  plan  the  payment  of  $2 
annually  for  five  years  constitutes  life  member- 
ship, or  $5  annually  for  five  years  a  life  director- 
ship, or  $25  annually,  for  four  years,  or  $50 
annually  for  two  years,  a  life  patron.  A  certifi- 
cate is  given  at  the  time  of  payment  ia  full, 

BY-LAW  II. 

Organization. 

The  organization  of  this  association  shall 
consist  of  a  board  of  managers,  nine  trustees, 
and  branch  and  local  societies  to  be  organized 
under  the  constitution  hereto  attached. 

BY-LAW  III. 

Board  of  Managers, 

The  board  of  managers  shall  consist  of  the 
trustees  and  three  delegates  from  each  branch 
society,  who  shall  be  elected  at  the  branch 
annual  meeting  preceding  the  meeting  of  the 
board.  Said  board  shall  meet  annually  at 
such  time  and  place  as  shall  be  designated. 

The  duties  of  said  board  shall  be  advisory  to 
the  trustees.  Life  patrons  shall  have  all  the 
privileges  of  full  members    of   the  board  of 


WOMAN'S  MISSIONARY  ASSOCIATION.  139 

managers.  Life  directors  of  the  association 
shall  be  regarded  as  advisory  members  of  the 
board  of  managers. 

BY-LAW  IV. 

Duties  of  the  Board  of  Trustees.^ 

The  board  of  trustees  shall  have  power  to 
select  locations  for  missions,  appoint  mission- 
aries, appropriate  the  funds  of  the  association 
as  the  interest  of  the  cause  may  demand,  and 
attend  to  the  administration  and  general  man- 
agement of  the  affairs  of  the  association. 

BY-LAW  V. 

Relation  of  the  Association  to  the  Church, 

This  association  shall  work  in  harmony  with 
the  Home,  Frontier,  and  Foreign  Missionary 
Society  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  and 
under  the  direction  of  the  General  Conference 
of  said  Church;  and  its  missionaries  shall  be 
subject  to  the  same  rules  that  govern  the  mis- 
sionaries of  the  aforesaid  missionary  society. 

^Tmstees  to  be  elected  by  members  of  the  associa- 
tion, who  shall  vote  either  in  person  or  by  proxy,  the 
first  Thursday  in  June,  in  the  city  of  Dayton.  The 
oflScers  shall  be  elected  by  the  trustees,  and  shall  con- 
sist of  a  president,  three  or  more  vice-presidents,  a 
corresponding  secretary,  a  recording  secretary,  and  a 
treasurer. 


140  DISCIPLINE. 

BY-LAW  VI. 

Funds. 

All  funds  coming  into  the  hands  of  the  treas- 
urer of  the  association  shall  be  held  subject  to 
the  order  of  the  board  of  trustees,  and  no  funds 
shall  be  disbursed  by  the  treasurer  except  upon 
the  orders  of  said  board,  duly  signed  by  the 
secretary. 

BY-LAW   VII. 

Branch  Societies. 

One  branch  society  may  be  formed  within 
the  bounds  of  any  annual  conference  of  the 
United  Brethren  Church,  by  the  adoption  of 
the  branch  constitution. 

BY-LAW  VIII. 

These  by-laws  may  be  altered  or  amended  at 
any  annual  meeting  of  the  board  of  managers 
by  a  vote  of  two-thirds  of  the  members  present. 

FORM   OP  BEQUEST. 

I  give,  devise,  and  bequeath  to  the  Woman's 
Missionary  Association  of  the  United  Brethren 
in  Christ,  for Dollars. 


woman's  missionary  association.       141 
Section  III. 

BRAKCH  CONSTITUTION. 
ARTICLE  I. 

This  Bociety  shall  be  called  the  Con- 
ference Branch  of  the  Woman's  Missionary 
Association  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ. 

ARTICLE  II. 

The  object  of  this  society  is  to  aid  the  asso- 
ciation to  awaken  an  interest  among  women  in 
behalf  of  Christian  missions,  and  to  raise  funds 
for  their  support. 

ARTICLE   III. 

The  membership  of  this  society  shall  consist 
of  the  members  of  the  association  within  fhe 
limits  of  this  conference  district. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

Section  1.  The  officers  of  this  society  shall 
be  a  president,  two  vice-presidents,  a  secre- 
tary, and  a  treasurer,  who,  together,  shall  con- 
stitute an  executive  committee  to  supervise 
the  entire  work  of  the  association  within  the 
conference  district.  It  shall  be  their  duty  to 
make  earnest  efforts  to  secure  the  organization 
of  local  societies  in  all  the  United  Brethren 
congregations  within  the  bounds  of  the  confer- 
ence. 


142  DISCIPLINE. 

Sec.  2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  secretary 
of  this  society  to  keep  a  correct  record  of  its 
proceedings  and  the  proceedings  of  the  execu- 
tive committee,  and  transmit  a  report  to  the 
.corresponding  secretary  of  the  board  of  man- 
agers at  least  ten  days  before  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  the  board. 

Sec.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  treasurer 
to  receive  and  hold  the  funds  of  the  society,  and 
transmit  the  same  quarterly  to  the  treasurer  of 
the  board,  the  last  report  to  be  sent  in  at  least 
ten  days  before  the  meeting  of  the  board  of 
managers. 

AETICLE   V. 

This  society  shall  hold  annual  meetings  to 
elect  its  officers  and  members  of  the  board  of 
managers,  and  to  transact  any  business  pertain- 
ing to  its  work,  its  members  to  consist  of  the 
officers  and  three  delegates  from  each  local 
society. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

This  society  shall  provide  for  the  expenses  of 
its  delegates  to  the  annual  meeting  of  the  board 
of  managers. 

ARTICLE  VII. 

Life  directors  and  life  members  within  the 
bounds  of  the  conference  shall  be  regarded 
advisory  members  of  the  annual  meetings  of 
this  society. 


woman's  missionary  association.        1-43 
Section  IV. 

LOCAL  CONSTITUTION. 
AKTICLE  I. 

This  society  shall  be  called  the  Local 

Society  of Branch  Society  of  the  Woman's 

Missionary  Association  of  the  United  Brethren 
in  Christ ;  and  any  woman  may  become  a  mem- 
ber of  the  same  by  consenting  to  the  by-laws  of 
said  association. 

article  II. 

The  officers  of  this  society  shall  consist  of  a 
president,  vice-president,  secretary,  and  treas- 
urer, and  two  or  more  collectors. 

ARTICLE  III. 

Section  1.  The  duties  of  the  president  shall 
be  those  usual  to  the  office. 

Sec  2.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  vice-pres- 
ident to  assume  the  duties  of  president  in  her 
absence. 

Sec.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  secretary 
to  keep  a  record  of  the  proceedings  of  each 
meeting,  with  the  names  of  members,  and 
report  quarterly  to  the  secretary  of  the  branch 
society. 

Sec  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  treasurer 
to  hold  all  funds  of  the  society  and  transmit 


144  DISCIPLINE. 

the  same  quarterly  to  the   treasurer  of  the 
branch  society. 

Sec.  5.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  collectors 
to  visit  members  of  the  church  and  solicit 
names,  collect  quarterly  dues,  and  report  the 
number  of  visits  and  amount  collected  at  each 
meeting. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

Any  child  may  become  a  member  of  this 

society  upon  the  payment  of  cents  per 

quarter. 

AETICLE  V. 

This  society  shall  meet  quarterly,  and  shall 
arrange  its  year  with  reference  to  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  branch  society. 

The  election  of  officers  and  delegates  to  the 
branch  meeting  shall  be  held  at  the  last  quar- 
terly meeting  preceding  the  branch  meeting. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

This  society  shall  appoint  a  superintendent 
of  the  children's  band,  who  shall  also  take 
charge  of  the  funds,  and  report  quarterly  to  the 
treasurer  of  the  branch  society. 


CHURCH-EBECTION    SOCIETY.  145 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

CHURCH-ERECTION   SOCIETY. 

CONSTITUTION. 

ARTICLE  I. 

Name. 
This  society  shall  be  known  as  the  "  Church- 
Erection  Society  of  the  Church  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ,"  located  in  Dayton,  Ohio. 

ARTICLE  II. 

Object. 
The  object  of  this  society  shall  be  to  assist 
congregations  in  locating  and  erecting  houses 
of  worship. 

ARTICLE  III. 

Officers. 

The  officers  of  this  society  shall  consist  of 
five  directors,  a  corresponding  secretary,  and  a 
treasurer,  the  directors  and  secretary  to  be 
elected  by  the  General  Conference.  The  bishops 
shall  be  directors  of  this  society  ex  officio. 

The  treasurer  of  the  Missionary  Society  shall 
be  treasurer  of  this  society,  ex  officio. 

These  officers  and  directors  shall  constitute  a 
board  of  managers,  who  shall  meet  imme- 
diately on  adjournment  of  General  Conference, 
and  organize  by  electing  a  president  and  vice- 
president, 
10 


146  DISCIPLINE. 

The  corresponding  secretary  shall  be  record- 
ing secretary  of  the  board. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

Duties  of  Officers. 

Section  1.  The  president  shall  preside  at  all 
meetings  of  the  board,  and  shall  have  power, 
in  conjunction  with  the  secretary  and  two 
directors,  to  call  special  meetings.  In  the 
absence  of  the  president,  the  vice-president 
shall  preside. 

Sec.  2.  The  corresponding  secretary  shall 
keep  a  record  of  the  proceedings  of  the  board, 
conduct  its  correspondence,  and  devote  himself 
to  the  w^ork  of  securing  funds  and  otherwise 
attending  to  the  interests  of  the  society  as  the 
board  may  direct.  He  shall  publish  annual 
and  quadrennial  reports  of  the  work  of  the 
society. 

Sec.  3.  The  treasurer  shall  hold  the  funds 
of  the  society  subject  to  the  order  of  the  board. 

Sec.  4.  The  board  of  managers  shall  hold 
annual  meetings,  appoint  an  executive  commit- 
tee, make  by-laws  to  regulate  its  business,  lend 
money  to  churches,  appropriate  money  to  de- 
fray incidental  expenses,  and  publish  such 
matter  from  time  to  time  as  the  cause  may 
require.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  board  of 
managers,  in  case  of  vacancy  in  the  office  of 


CHURCH-ERECTION    SOCIETY.  147 

secretary,  from  death,  resignation,  or  otherwise, 
to  appoint  his  successor  aa  soon  as  practicable, 
who  shall  serve  till  the  following  General  Con- 
ference. 

ARTICLE   V. 

Brariches. 

Each  annual  conference  in  the  Church  is 
hereby  constituted  a  branch  of  this  society,  and 
shall  elect,  annually  or  otherwise,  a  branch  sec- 
retary, treasurer,  and  board  of  directors,  who 
may  adopt  such  rules  and  regulations  for  their 
government — not  conflicting  herewith — as  they 
may  determine.  The  branch  secretary  and 
treasurer  shall  report  annually  to  their  respec- 
tive societies. 

ARTICLE   VI. 

Apportionment  and  Division, 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  annual  confer- 
ence to  make  a  judicious  apportionment  to  the 
several  fields  of  labor  for  thi  interest,  w  hich 
fund,  when  collected,  shall  be  divided  equally, 
the  branch  treasurer  retaining  one-half  for  the 
conference  and  transmitting  the  other  half  to 
the  treasurer  of  the  parent  society;  proiided, 
hoivever,  that  special  donations  ai^td  bequests 
shall  go  to  the  parent  society  unless  the  donors 
direct  otherwise. 


148  DISCirLINE. 

ARTICLE  VII. 

Receipts  of  Treasurer. 

The  treasurer  of  tlie  Parent  Board  of  JVIissions 
shall  receipt  for  all  money  sent  him  by  the 
various  conference  treasurers. 

ARTICLE   VIII. 

Application  for  Aid. 

Application  for  aid  from  this  society  snail  be 
made  to  the  board  of  managers,  through  the 
officers  of  the  branch  society. 

ARTICLE  IX. 

Return  of  Loans. 

Should  any  local  church  thus  aided  lose  its 
organization,  bo  as  to  make  the  sale  of  such 
house  necessary,  then,  out  of  the  proceeds  of 
such  sale  the  amount  loaned,  with  interest,  shall 
be  refunded  to  the  Church-Erection  Board. 

ARTICLE  X. 

Granting  of  Loans, 

Section  i.  The  board  shall  make  no  appro- 
priations where  there  ia  reasonable  prospect 
that  the  church  asking  aid  can  succeed  without 
it,  or  where  there  ia  no  prospect  of  gathering  a 
good  membership. 


CHURCH-ERECTION    BOCIETY.  149 

Sec.  2.  All  aid  rendered  shall  be  only  as  a 
loan,  the  principal  to  be  refunded  without 
interest  at  such  times  as  the  board  may  direct, 
but  in  no  case  for  a  longer  term  than  five  years 
at  any.  one  time,  or  more  than  five  hundred 
dollars  to  any  single  church, — except  that  in 
large,  growing  towns  and  cities,  at  the  discre- 
tion of  the  board,  the  amount  may  be  increased 
to  one  thousand  dollars,  and  the  time  extended 
to  ten  years;  provided,  however^  that  contribu- 
tions to  a  donation  fund  may  "be  received  and 
appropriated  to  aid  in  the  erection  of  churches 
in  important  localities,  under  such  regulations 
as  the  board  may  adopt. 

Sec.  3.  Funds  shall  not  be  loaned  to  any 
church  until  the  church  property  is  secured  by 
deed  as  provided  for  in  the  Discipline ;  nor  shall 
loans  be  made  to  churches  until  their  trustees 
have  forwarded  an  abstract  of  the  title  of  their 
property,  certificate  of  release  of  all  mechanics' 
liens,  and  other  incumbrances,  and  their  notes, 
secured  by  the  first  mortgage  on  the  premises 
properly  recorded  in  the  records  of  the  courts, 
for  the  inspection  of  the  board  of  managers, 
or  executive  committee. 

ARTICLE  XI. 

Insurance, 
Section  1.    The  trustees  of  any  church  which 


150  DISCIPLINE. 

receives  a  loan  from  the  Church-Erection  Soci- 
ety shall  be  required  to  secure  said  church 
building  from  loss  by  fire  in  some  reliable 
insurance  company. 

Sec.  2.  The  parent  board  shall  have  author- 
ity to  constitute,  by  special  act  of  incorporation, 
a  plan  to  insure  churches  and  parsonages  within 
the  denomination. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

PRINTING    ESTABLISHMENT. 
Name. 

1.  The  above  estabhshment  shall  be  called 
"The  Printing  Establishment  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ." 

Election  of  Officers. 

2.  The  controlling  authority  herein  granted 
shall  be  vested  in  the  General  Conference  of 
said  Church,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  elect  the 
necessary  agents  and  editors,  and  fix  their  sal- 
aries, and  make  or  amend  such  rules  as  in  its 
judgment  it  may  deem  expedient. 

Trustees — Election  and  Duties. 

3.  The  General  Conference  shall  elect  a 
board  of  nine  trustees  to  serve  for  four  years, 
and  until  their  successors  are  elected,  six  of 
whom  shall  be  chosen  fi'om  the  following  six 


PRINTIXa  ESTABLISHMENT.  151 

districta  severally,  into  which  the  annual  con- 
ferences shall  be  di\^ded : 

District  No.  1. — Pennsylvania,  East  Pennsyl- 
vania, East  German,  Maryland,  and  Virginia. 

District  No.  2. — Allegheny,  Parkersburg,  Erie, 
East  Ohio,  and  Ohio  German. 

District  No.  3. — Scioto,  Sandusky,  Central  Ohio, 
Auglaize,  and  Miami. 

District  No.  4. — White  Eiver,  Indiana,  St. 
Joseph,  North  Ohio,  Michigan,  North  Michigan, 
Ontario,  Tennessee,  and  Germany. 

District  No.  5. — Upper  "Wabash,  Lower  Wa- 
bash, Kentucky,  Central  Illinois,  Ilhnois,  Rock 
River,  Wisconsin,  Iowa,  and  Minnesota. 

District  No.  6. —  Des  Moines,  Missouri,  South 
Missouri,  Neosho,  Kansas,  Northwest  Kansas, 
Arkansas  Valley,  Southwest  Kansas,  East  Ne- 
braska, West  Nebraska,  Elkhorn  and  Dakota, 
Colorado,  Columbia  River,  Oregon,  California, 
Texas,  and  Africa.  # 

The  remaining  three,  who  shall  also  be  known 
as  the  local  committee  of  the  board,  shall  be 
chosen  from  Dayton  or  its  vicinity. 

4.  The  board  of  trustees  thus  elected  shall, 
during  the  interval  of  the  General  Conferences, 
take  the  oversight  of  the  Printing  Establish- 
ment. They  shall  meet  annually,  and  oftener 
if  need  be,  in  the  Publishing  House  in  Dayton, 
Ohio,  on  the  call  of  their  president. 


152  DISCIPLINE. 

5.  The  local  committee  shall  take  the  over- 
sight of  the  Establishment  during  the  intervals 
of  the  meetings  of  the  board  of  trustees.  It 
shall  meet  quarterly  for  the  transaction  of  such 
business  as  may  come  before  it. 

6.  The  board  of  trustees  shall  have  full  power 
to  discontinue  any  periodical  when  the  inter- 
ests of  the  Church  or  Printing  Establishment 
demand  it ;  such  action  shall,  however,  not  be 
taken  except  by  a  two-thirds  vote  of  the  board. 

7.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  trustees  to  see 
that  the  agent  and  editors  properly  and  faith- 
fully discharge  their  duties.  In  case  of  derelic- 
tion of  duty,  they  may  suspend  the  delinquent 
party  or  parties  from  office  until  the  General 
Conference;  provided,  however,  that  no  one 
shall  be  suspended  until  a  copy  of  the  com- 
plaints in  writing  has  been  presented  to  the 
accused,  and  an  opportunity  given  for  defence 
before  the  board  of  trustees. 

8.  The  trustees  may  make  any  by-laws  which 
may  seem  to  them  expedient  for  the  regulation 
of  the  minor  concerns  of  the  Estabxishment ; 
provided  they  are  not  inconsistent  with  any 
Greneral  Conference  rule. 

Duties  of  the  Publishing  Agent. 

9.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  agent  to  super- 
vise and  manage  the  business  of  the  Printing 


PRINTINQ  ESTABLISHMENT.  153 

Establishment,  under  the  direction  of  the 
board  of  trustees;  to  regulate  the  publications 
and  all  other  affairs  of  the  House,  except  that 
which  pertains  to  the  editorial  departments,  in 
such  manner  as  the  interests  of  the  Church 
may  require. 

10.  The  agent  and  local  committee  shall  an- 
nually take  an  account  of  stock,  including  in  the 
inventory  all  the  assets,  of  whatever  nature,  of 
the  Printing  Establishment  at  their  estimated 
cash  value,  except  the  real  estate,  which  shall 
be  appraised  by  the  local  committee  of  the 
board  of  trustees  at  the  ending  of  each  quad- 
rennium,  and  the  valuation  shall  not  be 
changed  prior  to  the  close  of  the  succeeding 
quadrennium  except  by  the  purchase  or  sale, 
improvement  or  destruction,  of  property.  Such 
inventory  shall  also  contain  a  full  and  de- 
tailed statement  of  all  liabilities,  profits,  and 
losses. 

11.  The  agent  shall  prepare  and  publish  a 
report  of  the  condition  of  the  Printing  Estab- 
lishment annually,  in  the  Ueligious  Telescope  and 
Joyful  Messenger^  and  he  shall  also  make  a  report 
to  the  General  Conference.  He  shall  make 
arrangements  for  verbatim  reports  of  the  pro- 
ceedings of  the  General  Conference  for  pubU- 
eation. 


154  DISCIPLINE. 


Vacancies, 


12.  Should  any  vacancies  occur  in  any  of  the 
offices  of  the  Printing  Estabhshment,  or  in  the 
board  of  trustees,  the  trustees  shall  fill  such 
vacancy  until  the  sitting  of  the  succeeding 
General  Conference. 

Employment  of  Time. 

13.  Kg  editor  or  officer  employed  in  the 
Prmting  Establishment  shall  accept  any  office 
or  engage  in  any  business  which  will  interfere 
with  the  duties  of  his  office. 

Proceeds. 

14.  The  profits  of  the  Printing  Establish- 
ment, after  a  sufficient  caj^ital  to  carry  on  the 
business  is  retained,  shall  be  applied  to  the 
benefit  of  traveling  and  wornout  preachers  and 
their  widoM'S  and  orphans.  The  distribution  of 
any  available  profits  of  the  Printing  Establish- 
ment for  this  purpose  shall  be  in  proportion  to 
the  number  of  regular  ministers  in  each  annual 
conference  who  are  iiinerantSy  according  to  the 
"Itinerant  Plan"  of  the  Discipline.  It  shall 
be  the  duty  of  the  secretary  of  each  annual 
conference  each  j'ear  to  report  to  the  publish- 
ing agent,  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  the  true  number 
of  such  itinerants  as  found  upon  the  records  of 
ilia  conference;  also  the  name  and  address  of 


EDUCUTIONAL  INSTITUTIONS.  155 

the  conference  treasurer  appointed  to  receive 
the  dividend  awarded  to  the  conference. 


CHAPTEK  XXI. 

EDUCATIONAL    INSTITUTIONS. 

Section  I. 

SpARD  OF  EDUCATION. 

1.  There  shall  be  a  general  board  of  educa- 
tion, known  by  the  name  of  "The  Board  of 
Education,"  under  the  care  of  the  General  Con- 
ference of  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren 
in  Christ.  This  board  shall  consist  of  twelve 
members,  elected  by  the  General  Conference, 
who  shall  hold  office  for  four  years,  six  of  whom 
shall  be  clergymen ;  the  remainder  may  be  lay 
members  of  the  United  Brethren  Church.  Five 
members,  including  the  president  or  vice-pres- 
ident, shall  constitute  a  quorum. 

Officers. 

2.  The  officers  shall  be  a  president,  vice- 
president,  recording  secretary,  corresponding 
secretary,  and  treasurer.  These  shall  be  elected 
by  the  members  of  the  board  at  their  first  reg- 
ular meeting  after  the  sitting  of  the  General 
Conference,  and  shall  hold  office  until  the  next 
regular  session  of  the  General  Conference. 


156  DISCIPLINE 

3.  The  board  may  elect  any  competent  per- 
sons, members  of  the  United  Brethren  Church, 
to  be  their  treasurer  and  corresponding  secre- 
tary; these,  if  elected  outside  of  the  board,  shall 
be  advisoiy  members  of  the  board. 

4.  The  corresponding  secretary  is  to  devote 
such  portion  of  his  time  to  the  work  of  the 
board  a^  it  may  direct,  his  compensation  to  be 
fixed  by  the  board. 

5.  In  case  of  vacancy  occurring  in  the  board, 
by  death  or  otherwise,  the  board  shall  have 
power  to  fill  the  vacancy,  the  election  to  be  by 
ballot,  and  the  person  elected  to  hold  ofiice 
until  the  next  meeting  of  the  General  Confer- 
ence. 

6.  There  shall  be  at  least  one  session  of  the 
board  each  year.  Meetings  of  the  board  shall 
be  called  by  the  president,  upon  request  of 
three  members. 

Objects. 

7.  The  objects  of  this  board  shall  be: 

BENEFICIARY  AID. 

( 1.)  To  raise  funds  by  collection,  donation, 
bequest,  or  otherwise,  to  aid  by  loan,  without 
interest,  as  the  executive  committee  may  de- 
termine, in  educating,  in  both  their  collegiate 
and  theological  courses,  pious  young  persons 
who  are  preparing  themselves  for  the  work  of 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS.  157 

the  gospel  ministry,  or  as  missionaries  in  the 
United  Brethren  Church;  provided^  however, 
the  board  shall  have  power  to  receive  money 
and  use  it  for  other  educational  purposes,  as 
donors  may  direct 

PUBLICATIONS. 

(2.)  To  seek  by  the  publication  of  tracts, 
pamphlets,  addresses,  or  books  upon  editca- 
tional  questions,  to  diffuse  among  our  members 
a  more  general  knowledge  of  the  value  of  a 
sanctified  education  and  of  a  well  instructed 
ministr^^,  and  thereby  awaken  in  them  a  better 
appreciation  of  our  institutions  of  learning, 
and  of  the  obligations  resting  upon  them  to 
give  of  their  substance  for  their  support. 

EEPOET8  AND  EECOMME^^)ATIONS. 

(3.)  To  make  an  annual  report  of  the  con- 
dition, financially  and  otherwise,  of  the  col- 
leges and  other  educational  institutions  of  the 
Church ;  to  make  such  recommendations  to  the 
managers  of  these  institutions  as  will  tend  to 
make  them  more  efficient ;  to  secure,  as  far  as 
may  seem  desirable,  harmony  of  courses  of 
study  between  preparatory  schools  and  colleges 
and  universities. 

ESTABIilSHMEXT  OF  SCHOOLS  AND  COLLEGES. 

(4.)  To  discourage  the  multiplication  of 
schools  and  colleges  when  they  cannot  be  prop- 


158  DISCIPLINE. 

erly  supported.  Conferences,  or  a  conference, 
wishing  to  establish,  relocate,  or  change  the 
grade  of  a  school,  shall  first  counsel  with  the 
Board  of  Education,  both  as  to  the  advisability 
of  the  act  proposed,  and  also  as  to  the  method 
and  location,  and  any  school  started  without 
the  sanction  of  this  board  shall  not  be  recog- 
nized as  a  Church  school.  The  board  shall 
make  inquiry  as  to  the  number  of  schools  with- 
in different  communities,  and  where  found  to 
be  too  numerous,  the  board  shall  institute 
measures  for  combination  and  concentration  of 
their  resources  and  efforts.     . 

Collections, 
8.  To  accomphsh  these  results,  the  board 
may  cause  an  annual  collection  to  be  taken  on 
the  next  Sabbath  follo-^ing  the  last  Thursday 
of  January,  or  at  such  other  time  as  the  pre- 
siding elder  of  the  district  may  deem  most 
suitable.  The  preacher  in  charge,  or  some 
other  competent  person,  shall  first  preach  a 
sermon  or  make  appropriate  remarks  concern- 
ing the  object,  plans,  and  working  of  this  board, 
and  then  take  a  collection  in  such  manner  as 
will  secure  the  largest  amount  of  funds.  If  the 
board  thinks  best;,  it  may  apportion  the  amount 
to  be  raised  by  the  various  conferences,  accord- 
ing to  their  number  and  abiUty,  and  these  in 
turn  shall  apportion  to  their  respective  fields  of 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS.  159 

labor,  and  the  funds  thus  raised  shall  be  sent 
to  the  treasurer  of  the  board. 

Recommendation  for  Aid, 

9.  Young  persons  aided  by  this  board 
must  first  be  recommended  as  suitable  persons 
to  receive  aid,  by  the  conference  in  whose 
bounds  they  live,  or  to  which  they  belong ;  or 
by  the  Board  of  Missions,  when  the  appHcant 
does  not  reside  within  the  bounds  of  any  con- 
ference; or  by  an  educational  committee  ap- 
pointed by  the  conference,  to  whom  all  requests 
for  aid,  not  acted  upon  by  conference,  or  which 
shall  occur  during  the  interim  of  its  sittings, 
shall  be  referred 

Honorary  Members. 

10.  The  Doard  shall  have  power  to  make 
persons  honorary  members  of  the  same  on  the 
pajnnent  of  fifty  dollars.  The  persons  thus 
made  honorary  members  shall  have  the  right  to 
sit  in  the  meetings  of  the  board  and  engage  in 
its  deliberations,  but  shall  have  no  right  to  vote. 

Executive  Committee. 

11.  The  board  shall  have  power  to  appoint 
an  executive  committee  from  its  own  body,  and 
to  make  such  by-laws  to  regulate  its  own  pro- 
ceedings, and  to  efl'ectually  accomplish  the 
object  of  its  creation,  as  shall  not  be  inconsist- 
ent with  this  constitution. 


160  DISCIPLINE. 

Quadrennial  Report. 

12.  The  board,  through  its  corresponding 
secretary,  shall  make  to  the  General  Confer- 
ence a  report  of  all  the  work  done  during  the 
preceding  four  years,  including  money  received 
by  collections,  bequests,or  otherwise,  the  amount 
paid  out,  and  the  purposes  for  which  it  was 
paid.  The  board  may  propose  to  the  General 
Conference,  from  time  to  time,  such  plans  as  it 
may  consider  useful  or  necessary  for  the  success 
of  the  work  committed  to  it. 

AmeTidmenU. 

13.  No  addition  or  amendment  to  the  pro- 
visions of  this  constitution  shall  be  made  unless 
by  consent  of  a  majority  of  the  members  of 
the  General  Conference  present  at  any  of  the 
sessions.  Notice  of  this  proposed  addition  or 
amendment  shall  have  been  given  at  least  one 
day  previous 

Section  II. 

ACADEMIES. 

In  this  day  of  excellent  high  school  systems 
in  many  parts  of  our  country,  academies  should 
be  located  very  judiciously,  and  should  confine 
their  courses  of  study  to  such  branches  of 
learning  as  will  prepare  for  entrance  upon  the 
freshman  or  sophomore  year  of  the  best  col- 
leges.    A  first-clasa   academy  is  exceedingly 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIO^CS.  161 

better  tnan  a  second-  or  third-class  college.  Any 
institution  that  does  not  succeed  as  an  academy 
is  not  likely  with  similar  facilities  to  prosper  as 
a  college.  No  new  academy  should  be  under- 
taken with  a  less  sum  than  twenty-five  thou- 
sand dollars. 

Section  III. 

COLLEGES. 

1.  The  success  of  our  church  work  is  con- 
nected very  vitally  with  the  colleges  of  the 
Church.  In  these  our  youth  are  developed  and 
equipped  in  mind  and  heart  for  the  work  of 
efficient  service  to  humanity. 

2.  The  ministry  and  laity  should  earnestly 
use  their  power  to  have  as  many  young  people  as 
possible  attend  our  own  institutions  of  learning, 
and  to  encourage  persons  to  give  liberally  of 
their  means  for  the  more  thorough  establish- 
ment and  equipment  of  our  educational  insti- 
tutions. 

3.  For  the  purpose  of  greater  unity  and 
efficiency  in  our  educational  work,  the  General 
Conference  recommends  that  the  length  of  a 
course  of  study  leading  to  degrees  be  three 
years  in  the  preparatory^  department  and  four 
years  in  the  college,  and  asks  all  the  schools  in 
the  Church  to  adopt  this  standard  as  soon  as 
possible. 

11 


162  DISCIPLINE. 

4.  ^'o  college  should  be  founded  without  an 
imperative  necessity,  and  with  a  less  sum  of 
money  than  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  of 
which  fifty  thousand  dollars  shall  be  a  perma- 
nent and  productive  endowment,  and  whose 
title  shall  be  in  fee  simple  to  the  Church  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ.  As  to  Christian 
education,  the  divine  word  aptly  declares: 
"Wisdom  is  a  defense,  and  money  is  a  defense: 
but  the  excellency  of  knowledge  is,  that  wisdom 
giveth  life  to  them  that  have  it." 

Section  IV. 

ITNION  BIBLICAL  SEMINABY. 

1.  This  institution  of  sacred  learning,  located 
at  Dayton,  Ohio,  is  maintained  by  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ  for  the  purpose  of  educating 
persons  called  of  God  to  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry, and  the  spread  of  the  gospel  of  Christ 
among  men.  It  shall  be  under  the  control  of 
the  General  Conference  of  the  United  Brethren 
in  Christ,  by  which  the  officers  shall  be  elected 
at  each  quadi'ennial  session. 

Directors. 

2.  The  board  of  directors  shall  be  composed 
of  fifteen  trustees,  ten  of  whom  shall  be  elected 
by  the  General  Conference,  and  five  of  whom 
shall  be  elected  by  the  board  of  directors  for  a 
term  of  two  years  each,  and  the  bishops  of  the 


EDUCATIONAL   INSTITUTIONS.  163 

Church,  who  shall  be  considered  as  ex  officio 
members;  provided  ahcays,  that  a  majority  of 
the  trustees  thus  elected  must  be  bona  fide  resi- 
dents of  the  State  of  Ohio. 

Duties  of  Directors. 

3.  The  board  of  directors  shall  meet  on  the 
call  of  the  senior  bishop  immediately  after 
their  election,  and  organize  by  electing  a  presi- 
dent and  secretary.  They  shall  meet  annually 
in  the  seminary  building  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  elect 
the  necessary  faculty,  review  the  work  of  the 
general  manager  and  the  faculty,  determine 
the  salaries  of  the  faculty,  and  adopt  measures 
for  the  advancement  of  the  interests  of  the 
institution. 

4.  -The  board  of  directors  may  fill  any  vacancy 
caused  by  the  resignation,  removal,  or  refusal 
to  serve  of  the  general  manager  or  trustees. 

5.  The  board  shall  annually  elect  an  execu- 
tive committee  of  five  persons,  who  shall  meet 
on  the  call  of  the  general  manager  and  direct  in 
the  execution  of  orders  and  plans  of  the  board 
of  directors. 

6.  The  board  of  directors  shall  make  to  the 
General  Conference  a  report  of  its  work,  giving 
such  facts  in  connection  with  the  seminary  as 
it  may  deem  of  importance. 


1G4  DISCIPLINE. 

General  Manager. 

7.  The  general  manager  shall  reside  in  Day- 
ton, Ohio,  and  shall  manage  the  assets  under 
the  direction  of  the  executive  committee,  have 
charge  of  all  the  property,  and  manage  the 
business  of  the  institution.  He  shall  solicit, 
and,  with  the  consent  and  approval  of  the  board 
of  directors,  or  executive  committee,  employ 
others  to  solicit,  contributions  to  the  seminary. 
In  the  name  of  the  Union  Biblical  Seminary, 
and  under  its  corporate  seal,  the  general  man- 
ager shall  execute  all  deeds  of  transfer  and  other 
legal  documents  which  may  be  authorized  by 
the  board  of  directors  or  its  executive  com- 
mittee. He  shall  report  to  the  board  of  direc- 
tors annually,  and  to  the  General  Conference, 
an  account  of  all  receipts  and  expenditures, 
and  the  standing  and  efficiency  of  the  institu- 
tion, with  any  other  important  facts  or  recom- 
mendations 

Support  of  the  Seminary. 

8.  All  moneys  or  values  of  any  kind  given 
to  the  seminary  as  an  endowment  shall  be  held 
sacred  as  a  permanent  fund  and  securely  in- 
vested, the  interest  only  to  be  used  in  tlie  main- 
tenance of  the  seminary.  All  other  funds  shall 
be  used  as  the  interests  of  the  seminary  may 
require  or  as  the  donor  may  direct. 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS.  1G5 

A-nnual  Collections, 

9.  The  annual  apportionment  to  the  whole 
number  of  annual  conferences  for  the  benefit 
of  the  seminary  shall  be  $8,000.  This  amount 
shall  be  apportioned  by  the  board  of  directors 
to  the  several  annual  conferences,  and  by  the 
conferences  apportioned  to  the  several  charges, 
to  be  collected  by  the  pastors  and  reported 
to  their  respective  conferences ;  and  it  shall  be 
the  duty  of  the  presiding  bishop  to  see  that 
the  full  amount  of  the  assessment  is  properly 
apportioned  to  the  respective  charges.  Ten 
per  cent,  of  the  fuuds  thus  secured  may  be  used 
for  the  support  of  the  library  in  the  seminary. 

Obligation  of  Faculty. 

10.  Each  professor  chosen  to  a  chair  in  the 
seminary  shall,  upon  the  day  of  his  inaugura- 
tion, publicly  subscribe  to  the  following  decla- 
ration of  faith  and  obligation : 

I  solemnly  declare,  in  the  presence  of  God 
and  the  officers  of  Union  Biblical  {Seminary, 
that  I  believe  the  Holy  Scriptures,  Old  and 
New  Testaments,  to  be  the  inspired  word  of 
God,  and,  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  only  perfect 
rule  of  faith  and  practice.  I  believe  the 
Confession  of  Faith,  as  contained  in  the  thirteen 
articles  in  our  Book  of  Discipline,  to  be  a  truth- 
ful conse7tsus  of  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the 


166  DISCIPLINE. 

Bible.  I  believe  that  the  system  of  church 
government,  as  presented  in  the  Book  of  Disci- 
pline of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  is  con- 
sistent with  the  teachmgs  of  the  Sacred  Scrip- 
tures, and  I  solemnly  promise  that  I  will  not 
teach  or  insinuate  anything  that  shall  in  any 
way  be  inconsistent  with  the  foregoing  declara- 
tion or  that  is  not  in  harmony  with  the  Consti- 
tution and  Confession  of  Faith  and  the  rules  of 
the  Church  as  set  forth  in  the  Discipline  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ.  I  also  promise,  by 
divine  assistance,  to  the  best  of  my  ability  to 
sustain  the  doctrines  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  as 
thus  set  forth  by  the  Church,  in  opposition  to 
all  forms  of  error,  as  long  as  I  shall  remain  a 
professor  in  this  institution. 

[  Name  ] 

Entrance  Examination. 

11.  The  faculty  shall  prepare  examination 
papers  for  candidates  for  admission  to  the  sem- 
inary, and  arrange  for  examinations  in  the 
respective  conferences  without  expense  to  can- 
didates. 

Post-Graduate  Studies. 

12.  The  faculty  may  arrange  post-graduate 
courses  of  reading  to  cover  one,  two,  and  three 
years,  for  the  successful  completion  of  which 
appropriate   seals   shall   be  placed  upon  the 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS,  167 

diplomas  of  alumiii.  The  examination  shall  be 
by  correspondence,  or  other^'ise,  as  the  faculty 
may  arrange. 

Section  V. 

SPECIAIi  PROVISIONS. 

1.  In  view  of  the  financial  condition  of  the 
institutions  of  the  Church,  the  General  Confer- 
ence recommends  that  during  the  folloAving 
four  years  special  efforts  be  made  on  the  part 
of  the  authorities  of  the  several  schools  to  free 
them  from  debt  and  secure  a  better  endow- 
ment, and  that  the  bishops  aid  our  colleges  by 
public  addresses  and  personal  sohcitation,  and 
that  they  shall  so  arrange  their  work  that  at  least 
one  bishop  shall  visit  each  school  during  the 
annual  meeting  of  the  trustees  and  commence- 
ment of  all  our  colleges  and  academies.  Agents 
of  the  respective  institutions  should  confine 
themselves  as  much  as  possible  to  the  bounds 
of  the  cooperating  territory. 

2.  It  is  advised  that  any  conference  cooper- 
ating with  any  of  our  institutions  of  learning 
remain  therewith  until  there  be  an  equitable 
adjustment  of  all  outstanding  obligations  of 
suck  institution,  either  as  may  be  determined 
by  such  conference  and  the  trustees  of  the 
institution,  or  by  the  Board  of  Education. 

3.  In  view  of  the  fact  that  many  of  our  minis- 
ters and  laymen  would  be  glad  to  pursue  a  course 


168  -  PISCIPLINE. 

of  study  who  find  it  impossible  to  go  away  to 
school,  and  in  view  of  the  university  and  col- 
lege extension  movement  now  organized  in 
most  of  the  schools  of  higher  education  in  our 
land,  we  recommend, — 

(1.)  That  all  our  colleges  offer  such  non- 
resident courses  of  study  as  they  may  be  able 
to  teach,  for  the  aid  and  encouragement  of  the 
above  named  class  of  students. 

(2.)  That  these  students  be  examined  thor- 
oughly on  their  courses  of  study,  and  suitable 
certificates  be  awarded  those  who  complete 
their  w^ork  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  respective 
college  faculties. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 
HISTORICAL    SOCIETY. 

1.  The  Historical  Society  of  the  Church  of 
the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  located  at  Day- 
ton, Ohio,  having  for  its  object  the  collecting 
and  preserving  of  papers,  records,  books,  and 
other  materials  bearing  upon  the  history  of  the 
Church,  has  the  recognition  of  the  General 
Conference. 

2.  Said  society  shall,  through  its  oflacers, 
make  quadi*ennial  reports  to  the  General  Con- 
ference. 


BOUNDARIES.  169 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

BOUNDARIES. 
Section  I. 

BISHOPS*  DISTKICTS. 

£ast  District. 

Pennsylvania,  East  Pennsylvania,  Maryland, 
East  German,  Virginia,  Parkersburg,  Allegheny, 
Erie,  and  Tennessee  conferences. 

Northwest  District. 

Michigan,  St.  Joseph,  Upper  AVabash,  Eock 
River,  Xorth  ^Michigan,  "Wisconsin,  IMinnesota, 
Iov\'a,  Des  Moines,  Elkhorn  and  Dakota,  \yest 
Nebraska,  and  Colorado  conferences. 

Southwest  District. 

Arkansas  Valley,  Xeosho,  Kansas,  Northwest 
Kansas,  Southwest  Kansas,  Missouri,  Southern 
Missouri,  Illinois,  Lower  Wabash,  White  River, 
Indiana,  Central  Illinois,  and  East  Nebraska 
conferences,  and  Texas  Mission  District. 

OJiio  District. 

Scioto,  Sandusky,  Miami,  Auglaize,  Ohio  Ger- 
man, Ontario,  North  Ohio,  East  Ohio,  and  Cen- 
tral Ohio  conferences,  and  Kentucky  Mission 
District. 


1 70  DISCIPLINE. 

Pacific  District. 

California,  Oregou,  and  Columbia  Eiver  con- 
ferences. ^ 

Foreign  Missionary  District. 

Sherbro  Mission  Conference,  West  Africa; 
Germany  Mission  Conference. 

ECTION  II. 
ANNTJAL-CONFEIIENCE  DISTRICTS. 

Allegheny. 
1.  Beginning  at  the  southwest  corner  of  Mer- 
cer County,  Pennsylvania"  thence  along  the 
southern  line  of  Mercer  and  Venango  counties  to 
Clarion  County ;  thence  north  along  the  eastern 
line  of  Venango  County  to  AVarren  County; 
thence  along  the  southern  line  of  AVarren,  Mc- 
Kean,  and  Potter  counties;  thence  north  along 
the  eastern  line  of  Potter  County ;  thence  along 
the  State  line  between  Kew  York  and  Pennsyl- 
vania to  the  northeast  corner  of  Bradford 
County ;  thence  south  along  the  eastern  line  of 
Bradford,  Sullivan,  and  Lycoming  county  lines 
to  the  Susquehanna  Piver;  thence  down  the 
said  river  to  the  mouth  of  the  Juniata  River ; 
thence  up  the  Juniata  River  to  the  Tuscarora 

1  [  Note.— The  places  of  residence  of  the  bishops,  as 
fixed  by  the  General  Conference,  correspond  in  the 
main  with  the  above  districts.  The  bishops,  however, 
are  to  hold  the  conferences  in  rotation.— Editor.] 


BOUNDAEIES.  171 

Mountains;  thence  south  along  the  summit  of 
the  Tuscarora  Mountains  to  the  State  line 
between  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania;  thence 
along  the  southern  boundary  of  Pennsylvania 
to  the  southwest  corner  of  the  State;  thence 
northward  along  the  western  line  of  Pennsyl- 
vania to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Arkansas  Valley. 

2.  Beginning  at  the  northwest  corner  of 
Chautauqua  County,  Kansas ;  thence  north  to  a 
line  produced  west  from  the  southwest  corner  of 
Miami  County ;  thence  west  on  said  line  to  the 
west  line  of  the  second  township  in  Rice 
County ;  thence  south  on  said  township  line  to 
the  north  line  of  Eeno  County ;  thence  west  on 
said  county  hne  across  two  townships ;  thence 
south  on  township  line  to  the  north  line  of 
Kingman  County ;  thence  west  on  county  line  to 
the  northwest  comer  of  Kingman  County; 
thence  due  south  to  the  north  line  of  Texas ; 
thence  east  on  State  line  to  the  southwest 
corner  of  Neosho  Conference;  thence  north 
to  place  of  beginning;  Kiowa  Circuit  to  be- 
long to  Arkansas  Valley  Conference. 

Auglaize. 

3.  Beginning  at  Union  City,  Indiana ;  thence 
west  with  the  Bellefontaine  &  Indianapolis 
Railroad  to  Winchester ;  thence  on  a  straight 


172  DISCIPLINE. 

line  to  the  southeast  comer  of  Huntington 
County,  Indiana;  thence  on  the  east  line  of 
said  county  north  to  the  Wabash  River ;  thence 
down  said  river  to  the  crossing  of  the  AVabash, 
St.  Louis  &  Pacific  Railroad ;  thence  with  said 
railroad  to  Fort  Wayne,  including  said  city,  but 
no  part  of  the  city  of  Huntington ;  thence  along 
the  line  of  North  Ohio  Conference  to  Defiance, 
Ohio ;  thence  along  the  line  of  Sandusky  Con- 
ference to  the  west  line  of  Wyandot  County ; 
thence  south  with  the  east  Hne  of  Hardin 
County  to  the  southeast  corner  thereof;  thence 
on  the  north  and  east  lines  of  Union  County, 
to  the  Delaware  and  Springfield  branch  of  the 
Cleveland,  Columbus,  Cincinnati  &  Indianapo- 
lis Railroad ;  thence  with  said  railroad  to  Mil- 
ford  Center ;  thence  with  the  Pan  Handle  Rail- 
road, including  Urbana  and  Horatio,  to  Coving- 
ton; thence  northwest  along  the  Cincinnati, 
Hamilton  &  Dayton  Raih'oad  to  Versailles; 
thence  west  on  the  Cleveland,  Columbus,  Cin- 
cinnati &  Indianapolis  Railroad  to  Union  City, 
the  place  of  beginning.  The  Waterhouse  Chapel 
shall  belong  to  Miami  Conference. 

Califomia. 

4.  Includes  the  State  of  California. 

Central  Illinois. 

5,  Beginning  at  Peru,  on  the  Illinois  River; 


BOUNDAKIES.  173 

thence  up  the  IlUnois  River  to  tne  mouth  oi 
the  Kankakee  River ;  thence  up  said  river  to 
the  city  of  Kankakee;  thence  with  the  Chicago 
branch  of  the  BUnois  Central  Raih'oad  to  To- 
lono ;  thence  with  the  Great  Western  Railroad 
to  Bement ;  thence  direct  to  Shelby  ville ;  thence 
down  the  Okaw  River  to  Yandalia ;  thence 
direct  to  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  River ;  thence 
up  said  river  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Central  Ohio. 

6.  Beginning  at  Zanesville,  on  the  Muskin- 
gum River ;.  thence  west  on  the  Maysville  pike  to 
Lancaster;  thence  west  on  the  Muskingum 
Valley  Railroad  to  the  east  boundary  line  of 
Miami  Conference  (Pontius  appointment  re- 
maining TN^th  Pickaway  Circuit ) ;  thence  north 
along  the  east  lines  of  Miami  and  Auglaize  con- 
ferences to  the  Pittsburg,  Fort  Wayne  &  Chicago 
Railroad ;  thence  east  along  said  road  to  the  cast 
line  of  Richland  County;  Forest,  Pleasant 
Ridge,  Upper  Sandusky,  North  Robinson,  Crest- 
line, and  Osceola  circuits  to  belong  to  Sandusky 
Conference ;  thence  south  to  the  north  line  of 
Knox  County ;  thence  east  to  the  northeast  cor- 
ner of  said  county  ;  thence  south  to  the  south- 
west corner  of  Coshocton  County ;  thence  south- 
east to  Dresden ;  thence  along  [Muskingum  River 
to  Zanesville,  the  place  of  beginning. 


174  DISCIPLINE. 

Colorado^ 

7.  Bounded  by  the  TJnion  Pacific  Railroad  on 
the  north,  and  by  the  State  lines  of  Colorado  on 
the  east,  south,  and  west. 

Columbia  River. 

8.  Beginning  on  the  northern  boundary  of 
the  State  of  Washington ;  thence  south  along 
the  Cascade  IMountains  to  the  Columbia  Eiver ; 
thence  up  the  Columbia  River  to  the  mouth  of 
the  John  Bay  River;  thence  south  along  said 
river  to  its  source ;  thence  east  to  the  Oregon 
line,  including  all  the  territory  in  Washington 
and  Oregon  east  of  the  line  above  given,  and 
also  the  State  of  Idaho. 

BeB  Moines, 

9.  Embraces  all  that  part  of  the  State  of 
Iowa  west  of  the  Iowa  Conference  line. 

East  German. 

10.  Beginning  at  the  northwest  corner  of 
Bucks  County,  Pennsylvania ;  thence  along  the 
line  of  the  East  Pennsylvania  Conference  to  the 
Susquehanna  River ;  thence  up  said  river  to  the 
southwest  corner  of  Lycoming  County;  pro- 
videdj  that  Snyder  and  Union  counties  and  that 
part  of  Juniata  County  now  occupied  by  the 
East  German  Conference  remain  in  said  con- 


BOUNDARIES.  175 

ference ;  thence  northward  along  the  Allegheny 
Conference  line  to  the  northeast  corner  of  Brad- 
ford County,  Pennsylvania;  thence  east  along 
the  State  line  between  Kew  York  and  Pennsyl- 
vania to  the  Delaware  Kiver;  thence  down  said 
river  to  the  place  of  beginning;  ^^rovided^  that 
the  First  and  Third  'churches  in  Baltimore 
remain  in  the  East  Gennan  Conference. 
East  Nebraska, 

11.  Embraces  all  that  part  of  Nebraska  south 
of  Platte  River  and  east  of  the  West  Nebraska 
Conference  line. 

Ea8l  Ohio, 

12.  Beginning  at  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
State  of  Ohio;  thence  south  with  the  State 
Ime  and  Ohio  River  to  ISIarietta;  thence  up 
the  Muskingum  River  to  Dresden,  embracing 
Hanover,  opposite  Marietta ;  thence  northwest 
to  the  southwest  corner  of  Coshocton  County ; 
thence  directly  north  to  the  northeast  corner 
of  Knox  County;  thence  west  to  the  south- 
west corner  of  Ashland  County ;  thence  north 
to  the  mouth  of  A'ermillion  River;  thence  east 
along  the  shore  of  Lake  Erie  to  the  place  of 
beginning;  provided,  that  Orangeville  Church 
in  Ohio  remain  with  Erie  Conference,  and 
Beaver  Church  in  Pennsylvania  with  East  Ohio 
Conference. 


176  DISCIPLINE. 

East  Pennsylvania. 
13.  Beginning  on  the  east  boundary  of  New 
Jersey ;  thence  along  the  forty -first  parallel  of 
north  latitude  to  the  Delaware  Eiver;  thence 
down  said  river  to  the  northeast  corner  of 
Bucks  County,  Pennsylvania;  thence  along  the 
northwest  boundary  line  of  said  county  to  the 
Montgomery  County  line ;  thence  along  the  line 
between  Montgomery  and  Lehigh  counties  to 
Berks  County  thence  along  the  line  between 
Berks  and  Montgomery  counties  to  the  north- 
east corner  of  Douglas  Township  in  Berks 
County ;  thence  along  the  northern  and  west- 
ern lines  of  Douglas  Township,  the  northern 
line  of  Amity  Township,  and  the  northern  and 
western  lines  of  Exeter  Township  in  Berks 
County  to  the  Philadelphia  &  Reading  Eail- 
road;  thence  up  said  railroad  to  the  upper 
depot  of  the  city  of  Reading;  provided,  that  the 
city  of  Reading  be  occupied  in  common  by  tlie 
East  Pennsylvania  and  East  German  confer- 
ences; thence  westward  along  the  line  of  the 
Lebanon  Valley  Railroad  to  the  line  between 
Lebanon  and  Dauphin  counties  j  thence  north- 
ward and  eastward  along  said  county  line  to 
the  Schuylkill  County  line ;  thence  northward 
along  said  county  line  to  the  top  of  Berry 
Mountain ;  thence  along  said  mountain  to  the 
Susquehanna  River;  thence  down  said  river 


BOUXDAKIES.  177 

and  the  Chesapeake  Bay  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean ; 
thence  northward  along  the  Atlantic  seacoast 
and  the  Hudson  Eiver  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning; provided^  that  the  towns  of  Avon  and 
Palmyra  remain  in  East  German  Conference, 
and  Otterbein  Church  of  Harrisburg  in  Penn- 
sylvania Conference. 

Elkhom  and  Dakota. 

14.  Commencing  at  the  mouth  of  the  Platte 
River;  thence  north  along  the  Iowa  and  South 
Dakota  State  lines  to  the  northeast  corner  of 
Moody  County,  South  Dakota ;  thence  west  to 
the  west  line  of  South  Dakota;  thence  south 
to  the  north  line  of  town  twenty-four  in  Ne- 
braska ;  thence  east  on  said  line  to  the  source 
of  Cedar  River ;  thence  down  said  river  to  Ful- 
lerton ;  thence  south  to  the  Platte  River ;  thence 
east  along  said  river  to  the  place  of  beginning ; 
and  also  the  counties  of  Deuel  Grant,  and  Cod- 
dington,  South  Dakota. 

Erie. 

15.  Beginning  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Erie,  at 
the  northwest  corner  of  tlie  State  of  Pennsyl- 
vania; thence  south  along  the  State  Hue  be- 
tween Ohio  and  Pennslyvania  to  the  southwest 
corner  of  Mercer  County,  Pennsylvania ;  thence 
east  with  the  line  as  described  in  the  bounding 

12 


178  DISCIPLINE. 

of  the  Allegheny  Conference  to  the  New  York 
State  line,  and  including  the  State  of  New  York 
and  all  that  part  of  Pennsylvania  embraced 
within  the  above  described  limits;  provided, 
that  Orangeville  Circuit  be  included  in  Erie 
Conference. 

Germany. 

16.  Including  all  the  territory  occupied  by 
our  missions  in  Germany. 

Illinois, 

17.  Beginning  at  the  junction  of  the  Missis- 
sippi and  Rock  rivers;  thence  up  the  latter 
stream  to  the  crossing  of  the  Chicago,  Rock 
Island  &  Pacific  Piailroad ;  thence  east  with  said 
railroad  to  the  Illinois  River ;  thence  do^Ti  the 
Illinois  River  to  its  mouth ;  thence  up  the  Mis- 
sissippi to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Indiana. 

18.  Beginning  at  the  southeast  corner  of 
Franklin  County,  Indiana;  thence  along  the 
line  of  White  River  Conference  to  the  White 
River ;  thence  down  said  river,  and  the  Wabash 
River,  to  the  Ohio  River ;  thence  up  said  river 
to  the  mouth  of  the  Great  Miami  River ;  thence 
on  the  State  line  between  Ohio  and  Indiana  to 
the  place  of  beginning. 


BOUNDARIES.  179 

Iowa. 

19.  Embraces'  all  that  part  of  the  State  of 
Iowa  east  of  the  following  boundary  line :  Be- 
ginning at  the  northwest  comer  of  Winnebago 
County ;  thence  south  to  the  southwest  corner 
of  Wright  County ;  thence  east  to  the  northwest 
corner  of  Hardin  County ;  thence  south  along 
the  county  line  to  the  north  line  of  Stor}^ 
County ;  thence  east  to  the  northeast  corner  of 
Marshall  County ;  thence  south  to  the  southeast 
corner  of  Jasper  County;  thence  west  to  the 
southwest  corner  of  Jasper  County;  thence 
south  to  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy 
Railroad ;  thence  west  along  said  railroad  to  the 
west  line  of  Lucas  County ;  thence  south  to  the 
State  line, 

Kansas. 

20.  Beginning  at  the  southeast  corner  of 
Miami  County,  Kansas;  thence  west  to  the 
center  of  McPherson  County ;  thence  north  to 
the  Nebraska  and  Kansas  line ;  thence  east  to 
the  Missouri  River ;  thence  on  the  Kansas  and 
Missouri  line  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Lower  Wabash. 

21.  Beginning  at  Gosport,  on  White  River; 
thence  with  the  railroad  to  Greencastle ;  thence 
with  the  Indianapolis  &  Terre  Haute  Railroad, 
including  Knightsville  and  Terre  Haute,  to  the 


180  DISCIPLINE. 

Wabash  River;  thence  up  said  river  to  the 
mouth  of  Brulett's  Creek ;  thence  up  said  creek 
to  Cherry  Point ;  thence  west  on  the  hne  of  the 
Indianapolis,  Decatur  &  Springfield  Railroad  to 
and  including  Tuscola;  thence  north  by  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  to  Tolono;  thence 
with  the  described  boundary  of  the  Central 
Illinois  Conference  to  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois 
River;  thence  down  the  Mississippi  River  to 
Cairo ;  thence  up  the  Ohio  and  Wabash  rivers 
and  west  branch  of  White  River  to  the  place  of 
beginning. 


22.  Embraces  all  of  the  State  of  Maryland 
not  included  in  Pennsylvania,  East  Pennsyl- 
vania, Virginia,  and  Parkersburg  conferences ; 
also  embracing  the  District  of  Columbia. 

Ifiami. 

23.  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the  Great 
Miami  River;  thence  north  on  the  line  between 
Ohio  and  Indiana  to  Union  City,  including  that 
city ;  thence  east  mth  the  Cleveland,  Columbus, 
Cincinnati  &  Indianapolis  Railroad  to  Ver- 
sailles ;  thence  with  the  Cincinnati,  Hamilton 
&  Dayton  Railroad  to  Codington ;  thence  east 
with  the  Pittsburg,  Cincinnati  &  St.  Louis  Rail- 
road to  the  east  line  of  Champaign  County, 
Ohio,  including  Piqua;  thence  south  ou  the 


BOUNDARIES.  181 

east  line  of  the  counties  of  Champaign,  Clarke, 
Green,  Clinton,  and  Brown,  to  the  southwest 
corner  of  Highland  County;  thence  south  to 
Ripley;  thence  down  the  Ohio  River  to  the 
place  of  beginnmg. 

Michigan. 

24.  Beginning  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Erie,  at 
the  northeast  corner  of  Monroe  County,  Michi- 
gan ;  thence  west,  on  the  north  line  of  Lenawee, 
Hillsdale,  and  Branch  counties,  to  the  Grand 
Rapids  &  Indiana  Railroad;  thence  by  said 
railroad  to  Yicksburg;  thence  along  the  St. 
Joseph  Conference  line  to  Lake  Michigan; 
thence  along  the  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  to 
Grand  Haven;  thence  by  the  Detroit  &  Mil- 
waukee Raih'oad  east  to  Detroit ;  thence  down 
the  Detroit  River  and  along  the  western  shore  of 
Lake  Erie  to  the  place  of  beginning.  The  cities 
and  villages  on  the  northern  boundary  line  of 
Michigan  Conference  shall  be  included  in  said 

conference. 

Missouri, 

25.  Embraces  all  that  part  of  the  State  of 
Missouri  lying  north  of  the  Missouri  River. 

Minnesota. 

26.  Embraces  all  the  State  of  Minnesota. 


182  DISCIPMNE. 

Neoshx). 

27.  Beginning  at  the  southwest  corner  of 
Chautauqua  County,  Kansas;  thence  north  to 
the  south  line  of  Kansas  Conference;  thence 
due  east  to  the  northeast  corner  of  Linn  County; 
thence  south  to  the  State  line ;  thence  south  to 
the  southeast  corner  of  Indian  Territory ;  thence 
west  on  the  territory  line  to  a  point  south  of  the 
southwest  corner  of  Chautauqua  County,  Kan- 
sas ;  thence  north  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

North  Michigan. 

28.  Embraces  that  part  of  the  State  of  Mich- 
igan north  of  tlie  Detroit,  Milwaukee  &  Grand 
Haven  Eailroad. 

Northwest  Kansas^ 

29.  Beginning  on  the  northern  boundary  of 
Kansas  at  the  center  of  Republic  County ;  thence 
south  to  the  north  line  of  Arkansas  Valley  Con- 
ference; thence  west  to  the  Colorado  line; 
thence  north  to  the  Nebraska  line;  thence  east 
to  the  place  of  beginning;  including  the  town 
of  Concordia. 

North  Ohio, 

30.  Beginning  at  the  northwest  corner  of 
Branch  County,  Michigan ;  thence  east  on  the 
north  lines  of  Branch,  Hillside,  Lenawee,  and 
Monroe  counties  to  the  northeast  corner   of 


BOUNDAHLES.  183 

Monroe  County ;  thence  on  the  coast  of  Lake 
Erie  to  the  mouth  of  the  Maumee  River ;  thence 
up  said  river  to  Defiance,  Ohio,  leaving  the  city 
of  Toledo  to  Sandusky  Conference ;  thence  up 
the  "Wabash,  St.  Louis  &  Pacific  Railroad  ( the 
towns  which  this  line  touches  to  be  included 
witliin  North  Ohio  Conference )  to  Fort  Wayne ; 
thence  (leaving  Fort  "Wayne  to  Auglaize  Confer- 
ence )  on  the  Fort  "Wayne  &  Chicago  Raihroad 
to  Columbia  City,  "W'hitely  County;  thence  due 
uorth  to  the  Hne  of  Noble  County;  thence  east 
to  the  corner  of  Noble  County ;  thence  north, 
including  the  Salem  appointment,  to  the  State 
line  of  Michigan;  thence  west  to  the  soutnwesx 
corner  of  Branch  County,  IVIichigan ;  thence  to 
the  place  of  beginning. 

Ohio   German. 

31.  Bounded  by  the  State  lines  of  Ohio,  Ken- 
tucky, Indiana,  and  Illinois.  Permission  is  also 
granted  to  go  into  any  of  the  AVestern  States  or 
Territories,  where  doors  of  usefulness  may  be 
open  to  labor  among  the  German  population. 

Ontario. 

32.  Includes  all  of  the  Province  of  Ontario, 
in  the  Dominion  of  Canada, 

Oregon. 

33.  Includes  in  it«  territory  all  of  the  States 


184  DISCIPLINE. 

of  Oregon  and  Washington  not  occupied  by  the 
Columbia  Eiver  Conference. 

Parkersburg, 

34.  Beginning  on  the  summit  of  the  Alle- 
gheny Mountains,  at  the  line  between  Pennsyl- 
vania and  Maryland ;  thence  along  the  summit 
of  said  mountains  southwest  to  the  line  between 
Virginia  and  North  Carolina;  thence  west  on 
said  line  to  the  southwest  corner  of  the  State 
of  Virginia ;  thence  with  the  Virginia  and  Ken- 
tucky line  north  to  the  Ohio  River;  thence 
with  said  river  to  the  Pennsylvania  State  line ; 
thence  east  on  said  line  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning. 

Pennsylvania. 

35.  Beginning  on  the  summit  of  South  Moun- 
tain on  the  line  between  Maryland  and  Penn- 
sylvania; thence  to  Westminster,  Maryland; 
thence  to  Baltimore,  including  that  city ;  thence 
along  the  Chesapeake  Bay  to  the  mouth  of  the 
Susquehanna  Paver ;  thence  up  said  river  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Juniata  River,  except  that  Otter. 
bein  Church  of  Harrisburg  and  Deman's  Island 
belong  to  Pennsylvania  Conference ;  thence  up 
the  Juniata  River  to  the  Tuscarora  Mountains ; 
thence  along  the  summit  of  said  mountains  to 
the  line  between  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland ; 
thence  east  along  said  line  to  place  of  beginning. 


BOUNDARIES.  - 185 

Rock  River. 

36.  Beginning  at  the  junction  of  the  Micsis- 
eippi  and  Rock  rivers ;  thence  east  with  the  north 
boundaries  of  the  Central  IlUnois,  Illinois,  and 
Upper  Wabash  conferences  to  the  Indiana  State 
line;  thence  north  on  Baid  line  to  Lake  Michi- 
gan thence  along  die  border  of  Lake  Michigan 
to  the  AVisconsin  State  line;  thence  along  said 
State  line  to  the  IMississippi  Eiver ;  thence  down 
said  river  to  place  of  beginning. 

Sandushy. 

37.  Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the  Vermil- 
lion River,  on  Lake  Erie ;  thence  on  an  air  line 
south,  to  the  Pittsburg,  Fort  Wayne  &  Chicago 
Railroad;  thence  west  on  said  railroad  to  For- 
est, Hardin  County,  retaining  to  Sandusky 
Conference  Forest,  Pleasant  Ridge,  Upper  San- 
dusky, North  Robinson,  Crestline,  and  Osceola 
circuits;  thence  north  to  the  south  boundaiy  of 
Hancock  County ;  thence  west  along  said  boun- 
dary to  the  southwest  corner  of  said  county; 
thence  on  a  straight  line  to  Cairo;  thence  to 
Kalida;  thence  to  Defiance;  thence  down  the 
Maumee  River,  including  all  of  the  city  of 
Toledo,  and  along  the  southern  shore  of  Lake 
Erie  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

Scioto. 

38.  Beginning  at  Zanes^dlle,  on  the  Muskin- 


186  DISCIPLINE. 

gum  Ri\^r ;  thence  west  on  the  Maysville  pike 
to  Lancaster;  thence  west  on  the  Muskmgum 
Valley  Railroad  to  the  east  line  of  JNIiami  Con- 
ference (Pontius  appointment  to  remain  on 
Pickaway  Circuit ) ;  thence  south,  following  the 
line  of  Miami  Conference,  to  RiiDley,  on  the 
Ohio  River ;  thence  up  said  river  to  the  mouth 
of  ]\Iuskingum  River ;  thence  up  said  river  to 
Zanesville,  the  place  of  beginning. 

Sherhro. 

39.  Includes  all  the  territory  occupied  by 
our  missions  in  West  Africa. 

Southern  Missouri, 

40.  Embraces  that  part  of  the  Ctate  south  of 
the  Missouri  River. 

Southwest  Kansas. 

41.  Beginning  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Ar- 
kansas Valley  Conference ;  thence  to  the  Colo- 
rado State  line ;  thence  south  to  the  south  line  of 
Oklahoma  Territory ;  thence  east  on  the  south 
line  of  said  territory  to  the  southwest  corner  of 
Arkansas  Valley  Conference ;  thence  following 
the  west  boundary  line  of  said  conference  to 
the  place  of  beginning. 

St.  Joseph. 

42.  Beginning  at  Peru,  Indiana,  on  the  "Wa- 
bash River;  thence  up  said  river  to  Huntington, 


B0UN3JAKIES.  187 

including  said  city ;  thence  on  the  Auglaize  Con- 
ference line  to  Fort  "VVayne ;  thence  by  the  Pitts- 
burg, Tort  Wayne  &  Chicago  Railroad  to  Colum- 
bia City ;  thence  due  north  to  the  line  of  Noble 
County ;  thence  east  to  the  southeast  corner  of 
said  county ;  thence  north  on  the  east  lines  of 
Noble  and  Lagrange  counties  to  the  Michigan 
State  line ;  thence  west  to  the  southeast  corner 
of  St.  Joseph  County,  Michigan;   thence  on 
the    east    and    north    lines    of   said    county 
to    the   Grand    Eapids    &   Indiana   Raih'oad, 
thence  to  Yicksburg ;  thence  west  to  Paw  Paw ; 
thence  west  by  the  K.  &  S.  H.  R.  R.  to  Hart- 
ford ;  thence  to  Lake  Michigan ;  thence  along 
the  lake  shore  to  Michigan  City ;  thence  by  the 
La  Fayette  &  Michigan  City  Railroad  to  La  Fay- 
ette, Indiana,  Michigan  City  and  all  towns  on 
said  railroad  to  belongto  St.  Joseph  Conference ; 
thence  along  the  Strawtown  road,   including 
the  towns  of  Jefferson  and  Frankfort,  to  Frank- 
fort, Indiana ;  thence  along  the  Clover  Leaf  Rail- 
road to  Kokomo,  Kokomo  belonging  to  AVhite 
River  Conference ;  thence  along  the  Lake  Erie 
Railroad  to  Peru,  Indiana,  the  place  of  begin- 
ning. 

Tennessee. 

43.    Embraces  all  that  part  of  the  State  of 
Tennessee  east  of  a  due  north  and  south  line 


188  DISCIPLINE. 

drawn  through.  Nashville",  the  capital  of  the 
State. 

Upper  Wabash. 

44.  Beginning  at  La  Fayette,  Indiana ;  thence 
by  way  of  the  La  Fayette  &  Michigan  City  Rail- 
road to  Michigan  City;  thence  west  to  the 
Indiana  and  Illinois  State  line ;  thence  south  on 
said  State  line  to  a  point  east  of  Kankakee,  Illi- 
nois; thence  Avest  to  Kankakee;  thence  south 
along  the  Chicago  branch  of  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral Railroad  to  Tuscola,  including  Tolono; 
thence  south  and  east  with  the  line  of  the 
Lower  Wabash  Conference  to  Gosport,  on 
White  River ;  thence  up  said  river  to  the  south 
line  of  Marion  County ;  thence  along  the  south, 
the  west,  and  the  north  lines  of  said  county  to 
the  White  River ;  thence  up  said  river  to  the 
crossing  of  the  Indianapolis  &  Peru  Railroad; 
thence  along  said  railroad  to  the  Strawtown 
and  Frankfort  road ;  thence  along  said  road  to 
La  Fayette,  the  place  of  beginning. 

Virginia. 

45.  Embraces  the  State  of  Virginia,  except 
the  southwest  part,  l}dng  west  of  the  Allegheny 
Mountains ;  embracing  also  that  part  of  West 
Virginia  lying  east  of  the  Allegheny  Mountains ; 
also  that  part  of  Garrett  County,  Maryland, 
lying  east  of  the  boundary  of  Parkersburg  Con- 
ference. 


BOUNDAEIES.  189 

West  Nebraska, 

46.  Beginning  at  the  northeast  corner  of 
Hamilton  County ;  thence  south  to  the  Thayer 
County  line ;  thence  east  six  miles ;  thence  south 
to  Nebraska  State  line ;  thence  west  to  the  south- 
west corner  of  the  State  of  Nebraska;  thence 
north  to  the  Union  Pacific  Eailroad;  thence 
west  to  the  Nebraska  State  line ;  thence  north 
to  the  line  of  Elkhorn  and  Dakota  Conference ; 
thence  east  and  south  along  the  boundary  of 
said  conference  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

White  River. 

47.  Beginning  at  the  southwest  corner  of 
Marion  County,  Indiana;  thence  north  to  the 
northwest  corner  of  said  county;  thence  east 
to  White  River;  thence  up  said  river  to  the 
crossing  of  the  Indianapolis  &  Peru  Railroad ; 
thence  along  said  railroad  to  the  Strawtown 
and  Frankfort  road:  thence  along  said  road  to 
Frankfort,  Indiana ;  thence  along  the  St.  Joseph 
Conference  hne  to  Peru,  Indiana,  Kokomo  to 
belong  to  the  White  River  Conference ;  thence 
up  the  Wabash  River  to  the  Wells  County  line ; 
thence  south  to  the  southeast  corner  of  Hunt- 
ington County;  thence  on  a  straight  line  to 
Winchester;  thence  eastward  along  the  rail- 
road to  the  Ohio  and  Indiana  State  line ;  thence 
south  along  the  State  line  to  the  southeast  cor- 


190  DISCIPLINE. 

ner  of  Franklin  County,  Indiana ;  thence  west- 
ward by  way  of  Greensburg,  Columbus,  Kash- 
ville,  and  Bloomington  to  AVhite  Eiver ;  thence 
up  said  river  to  the  south  line  of  Marion 
County ;  thence  west  to  the  southwest  corner 
of  said  county,  the  place  of  beginning. 

Wisconsin. 

48.  Embraces  all  of  the  State  of  AVisconsin. 

Mission  Districts, 

49.  Kentucky   and    Texas    are    constituted 
mission  districts. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

FORMULAS. 

Section  I. 

ORDINATION   OF    EiDERS. 

1.  On  the  day  appointed,  there  shall  be  a 
suitable  sermon  delivered. 

2.  After  the  names  of  the  candidates  have 
been  read  aloud,  the  bishop  or  elder  shall  ad- 
dress them  as  follows : 

An  elder  "must  be  blameless,  as  the  steward 
of  God;  not  self-willed,  not  soon  angry,  not 
given  to  wane,  no  striker,  not  given  to  filthy 
lucre ;  but  a  lover  of  hospitality,  a  lover  of  good 
men,  sober,  just,  holy,  temperate;  holding  fast 
the  faithful  word  as  he  hath  been  taught,  that 


FORMULAS.  191 

he  may  be  able  by  sound  doctrine  both  to  exhort 
and  to  convince  the  gainsayers  "  (Titus  1 : 7-9). 

Ques.  Are  you  assured  that  j'ou  are  inwardly 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost  to  take  upon  you  the 
office  of  the  ministry  to  serv-e  God  in  the  church 
of  Christ  to  the  honor  and  glory  of  his  holy 
name  ?    If  so,  answer,  "  I  trust  I  am." 

Qiies.  Do  you  believe  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
Old  and  New  Testaments  ?  If  so,  answer,  "  I  do 
believe  them." 

Ques.  "Will  you  apply  due  diligence  to  frame 
and  fashion  j^our  life  according  to  the  doctrines 
of  Christ,  and  to  make  yourself,  as  much  as  in 
you  lies,  a  wholesome  example  to  the  flock  of 
Christ?  If  60,  answer,  "  I  will,  the  Lord  being 
my  helper." 

Qu€S.  Will  you  obey  them  to  whom  the 
charge  and  government  over  you  are  committed, 
and  follow  their  godly  admonitions  with  a  will- 
ing and  ready  mind?  If  so,  answer,  "I  will 
endeavor,  through  the  grace  of  God,  to  do  so." 

3.  Then  prayer  is  to  be  offered. 

4.  After  prayer,  the  bishop  and  elders  shall 
lay  their  hands  upon  the  head  of  each  of  them, 
and  say: 

"Take  thou  authority  to  execute  the  office  of 
an  elder  in  the  church  of  God,  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.    Amen." 


192  DISCIPLINE. 

Hereupon  the  bishop  or  elder  shall  deliver  to 
each  of  them  the  Holy  Bible,  saying: 

"Take  thou  authority  to  preach  the  word  of 
God  and  to  administer  the  ordinances  in  the 
church  of  Christ." 

5.  Then  the  bishop  or  an  elder  shall  pray. 
And  after  prayer  he  shall  read  from  Luke  12: 
35-38: 

"Let  your  loins  be  girded  about,  and  your 
lights  burning;  and  ye  yourselves  like  unto 
men  that  wait  for  their  Lord,  when  he  will 
return  from  the  wedding ;  that  when  he  cometh 
and  knocketh,  they  may  open  unto  him  im- 
mediately. Blessed  are  those  servants  whom 
the  Lord  when  he  cometh  shall  find  watching  • 
verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  he  shall  gird  him- 
self, and  make  them  to  sit  down  to  meat,  and 
will  come  forth  and  serve  them.  And  if  he 
shall  come  in  the  second  watch,  or  come  in  the 
third  watch,  and  find  them  so,  blessed  are  those 
sen^ants." 

6.  After  this,  the  following  benediction  is  to 
be  pronounced: 

"  The  peace  of  God  keep  your  hearts  and  winds  in 
the  knowledge-  of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.     Amen,^^ 
Section  II. 

MARRIAGE  CEREMONY. 

We  are  gathered  together  in  the  sight  of  God, 
and  in  the  presence  of  these  witnesses,  to  join 


FORMULAS.  193 

together  N.  and  M.  as  husband  and  wife.  If 
any  person  present  knows  any  just  cause  or 
impediment  why  these  persons  should  not  be 
joined  in  marriage,  let  the  same  now  speak  or 
forever  keep  silent. 

[If  no  impediment  be  alleged,  then  shall  the 
minister  say :  J 

Do  you,  and  each  of  you,  in  the  sight  of  God, 
and  in  the  presence  of  these  witnesses,  cove- 
nant to  live  together  after  God's  ordinance  as 
husband  and  wife,  loving,  honoring,  and  cher- 
ishing each  other  in  sickness  and  iu  health,  in 
prosperity  and  adversity,  forsaking  all  others 
and  cleaving  to  each  other  as  long  as  you  both 
shall  live?  If  so,  answer,  "  I  do."  Join  your 
right  hands. 

"  Those  whom  God  hath  joined  together,  let 
no  man  put  asunder." 

Inasmuch  as  you  have  consented  together  in 
Christian  marriage  in  the  sight  of  God  and  in 
the  presence  of  these  witnesses,  I  pronounce 
you  husband  and  wife,  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 

Section  III. 

PORMTTLA  FOB  MARRIAGE  SERVICE  WITH  A  RING. 

The  institution  of  marriage  is  coeval  with 
the  family  of  man.     God  saw  that  it  was  not 
good  for  man  to  be  alone  even  in  paradise,  and 
13 


194  DISCIPLINE. 

formed  and  gave  to  him  woman,  that  she  might 
be  a  **  help  meet  for  him."  This  union,  like  that 
of  the  body  and  soul,  is  only  to  be  severed  by  the 
hand  of  death.  Deeming  it  sufficient  to  refer 
you  to  the  Holy  Scriptures  concerning  the 
duties  you  will  henceforth  owe  to  each  other,  I 
will  proceed  to  receive  your  mutual  plighted 
faith,  and  seal  your  marriage  vows. 

A,  do  you  take  B,  to  be  your  wedded  wife,  to 
live  together  after  God's  ordinance;  will  you 
love,  honor,  and  cherish  her  in  sickness  and  in 
health,  in  prosperity  and  adversity;  and  will 
you  keep  yourself  to  her  only  as  long  as  you 
both  shall  live? 

Aiiswer.    I  will. 

B,  do  you  take  A,  to  be  your  wedded  hus- 
band, to  live  together  after  God's  ordinance; 
will  you  love,  honor,  and  cherish  him  in  sick- 
ness and  in  health,  in  prosperity  and  adversity ; 
and  will  you  keep  yourself  to  him  only  as  long 
as  you  both  shall  live  ? 

Answer,    I  will. 

Join  your  right  hands.  [Then  let  the  groom 
repeat  after  the  minister  as  follows :] 

I,  A,  take  thee,  B,  to  be  my  wedded  wife, 
to  have  and  to  hold,  from  this  day  forward,  till 
death  do  us  part ;  and  thereto  I  plight  thee  my 
troth. 

[The  bride  shall  repeat  after  the  minister :] 


FORMULAS.  196 

I,  B,  take  thee,  A,  to  be  my  wedded  hus- 
band, to  have  and  to  hold,  from  this  day  for- 
ward, till  death  do  us  part,  and  thereto  I  plight 
thee  my  troth. 

[Here  the  hands  shall  be  loosed.  A  will  hand 
the  ring  to  B;  B  hand  the  ring  to  the  min- 
ister ;  the  minister  hand  the  ring  to  the  groom. 
The  groom  Avill  i^ut  the  ring  on  the  index  finger 
of  the  left  hand  of  the  bride,  and  holding  the 
ring,  repeat  after  the  minister  the  following:] 

With  this  ring  I  thee  do  wed,  and  with  all 
my  worldly  goods  and  my  heart's  faithful  affec- 
tion I  thee  endow,  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 

[The  minister  will  then  place  his  right  hand 
on  the  joined  hands  of  the  couple,  and  say  as 
follows :] 

Those  whom  God  hath  joined  together  let 
no  man  put  asunder.  Forasmuch  as  A  and  B 
have  consented  together  in  holy  wedlock,  and 
have  witnessed  the  same  before  God  and  these 
present,  and  hereto  have  given  and  pledged 
their  faith  each  to  the  other,  and  have  declared 
the  same  by  giving  and  receiving  a  ring,  and 
by  joining  hands,  I  pronounce  them  husband 
and  wife,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.    Amen. 

[The  following  benediction  shall  be  pro- 
nounced:] 


196  DISCIPLIAE. 

God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  God  the  Holy 
Ghost,  bless,  preserve,  and  keep  you ;  the  Lord, 
mercifully,  with  his  favor,  look  upon  you,  and 
fill  you  with  all  spiritual  benediction  and  grace, 
that  you  may  so  live  together  in  this  life  that  in 
the  world  to  come  you  may  have  life  everlast- 
ing.   Amen. 

Section  IV. 

BITRIAL  OP  THE  DEAD. 

[After  the  coffin  is  lowered  into  the  grave,  the 
minister  shall  repeat  the  following:] 

''Man  that  is  born  of  a  woman  is  of  few  days 
and  full  of  trouble.  He  cometh  forth  like  a 
flower,  and  is  cut  down:  he  fleeth  also  as  a 
shadow,  and  continueth  not."  *'Lord,  make 
me  to  know  mine  end,  and  the  measure  of  my 
days,  what  it  is ;  that  I  may  know  how  frail  I  am." 

In  the  midst  of  life  we  are  in  death ;  unto 
whom  should  we  seek  for  succor  but  unto 
thee,  O  Lord,  who  for  our  sins  art  justly  dis- 
pleased ?  Our  hope  is  in  thy  Son  Jesus  Christ, 
who  hath  said,  "  I  am  the  resurrection  and  the 
life :  he  that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were 
dead,  yet  shall  he  live ;  and  whosoever  liveth 
and  believeth  in  me  shall  never  die."  'Tor 
we  know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tab- 
ernacle were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of 
God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in 
the  heavens." 


FORMULAS.  197 

"Aud  I  heard  a  voice  from  heaven  sajdng 
unto  me,  Write,  Blessed  are  the  dead  which  die 
in  the  Lord  from  henceforth :  Yea,  saith  the 
Spirit,  that  they  may  rest  from  their  labors; 
and  their  works  do  follow  them." 

"There  shall  be  no  more  death,  neither  sor- 
row nor  crying,  neither  shall  there  be  any  more 
pain;  for  the  former  things  are  passed  away." 

Inasmuch  as  God  in  his  wise  providence  has 
called  out  of  time  into  eternity  the  soul  of  our 
brother  [sister  or  child],  we  commit  his  [or  her] 
remains  to  the  ground,  earth  to  earth,  ashes  to 
ashes,  dust  to  dust,  in  the  confident  hope  of  the 
general  resurrection  through  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  at  his  coming  and  glorj-;  that  this 
corruptible  body  shall  be  raised  up  and  be 
fashioned  like  unto  the  glorious  body  of  Christ, 
be  reunited  with  the  soul,  and  be  received  into 
everlasting  habitations.     Amen. 

[Benediction.] 

Sectiox  V. 

POKMtriiA  FOR  THE  HOLY  COMMUNION. 

Isaiah  53 : 3-5. 
"  He  is  despised  and  rejected  of  men ;  a  man 
of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief;  and  we 
hid  as  it  were  our  faces  from  him ;  he  was  de- 
spised, and  we  esteemed  him  not.  Surely  he 
hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows : 


198  DISCIPLINE. 

yet  we  did  esteem  him  stricken,  smitten  of  God, 
and  afflicted.  But  he  was  wounded  for  our 
transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities : 
the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him ; 
and  with  his  stripes  we  are  healed." 

Luke  22 :  14-20. 
"  And  when  the  hour  was  come,  he  sat  down, 
and  the  twelve  apostles  with  him.  And  he 
said  unto  them.  With  desire  I  have  desired  to 
eat  this  passover  with  you  before  I  suffer:  for  I 
say  unto  you,  I  will  not  any  more  eat  thereof, 
until  it  be  fulfilled  in  the  kingdom  of  God.  And 
he -took  the  cup,  and  gave  thanks,  and  said. 
Take  this,  and  divide  it  among  yourselves :  for  I 
say  unto  you,  I  will  not  drink  of  the  fruit  of  the 
vine,  until  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  come. 
And  he  took  bread,  and  gave  thanks,  and 
brake  it,  and  gave  unto  them,  saying,  This  is 
my  body  which  is  given  for  you:  this  do  in 
remembrance  of  me.  Likewise  also  the  cup  after 
supper,  saying,  This  cup  is  the  new  testament 
in  my  blood,  which  is  shed  for  you." 

I.  Corinthians  11:23-30. 
"  For  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  that  which 
also  I  delivered  unto  you,  That  the  Lord  Jesus, 
the  same  night  in  which  he  was  betrayed,  took 
bread:  and  when  he  had  given  thanks,  he 
brake  it,  and  said,  Take,  eat :  this  is  my  body, 


FORMULAS.  199 

which  is  broken  for  you;  this  do  in  remem- 
brance of  me.  After  the  same  manner  also  he 
took  the  cup,  when  he  had  supped,  saying, 
This  cup  is  the  new  testament  in  my  blood ;  this 
do  ye,  as  oft  as  ye  drink  it,  in  remembrance  of 
me.  For  as  often  as  ye  eat  this  bread,  and 
drink  this  cup,  ye  do  show  the  Lord's  death  till 
he  come." 

As  many  of  you  as  truly  love  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  are  now  in^dted  to  draw  near,  and  hum- 
bly receive  these  elements  in  memory  of  the 
suffering  and  death  of  your  Lord  and  Savior. 

Singing. 

Prayer. 

Administration  of  the  elements. 

Section  YI. 

FORMULA  for  THE  BAPTISM  OF  ADTTLTS. 

Our  Lord  commanded  his  apostles,  saying, 
"Go  ye  therefore  and  teach  all  nations,  baptiz- 
ing them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost"  (Matthew  28: 19). 
On  the  day  of  Pentecost,  the  multitude,  under 
the  preaching  of  the  word,  "were  pricked  in 
their  heart,  and  said  unto  Peter  and  to  the 
rest  of  the  apostles,  Men  and  brethren,  what 
shall  we  do?  Then  Peter  said  unto  them. 
Repent,  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in 
the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of 


^00  DISCIPLINE. 

sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost"  (Acts  2: 37,  38). 

"Then  they  that  gladly  received  his  word 
were  baptized:  and  the  same  day  there  were 
added  unto  them  about  three  thousand  souls" 
(Acts  2:41). 

Philip,  the  evangelist,  went  down  to  the  city 
of  Samaria,  and  preached  Christ  to  the  people. 
And  "  when  they  believed  Philip  preaching  the 
things  concerning  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  the 
name  of  Jesus  Christ,  they  were  baptized,  both 
men  and  women  "  ( Acts  8 :  12 ). 

Dearly  beloved,  it  has  pleased  God,  in  his 
infinite  mercy,  to  awaken  you  to  a  sense  of 
your  guilt  and  danger,  and  to  lead  you,  as  we 
humbly  trust,  to  repentance  and  faith  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  By  presenting  yourself  for 
this  holy  sacrament,  you  declare  your  purpose 
to  lead  a  new  life,  and  to  seek  an  inheritance 
with  the  righteous  in  the  "house  not  made 
with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens." 

Do  you  then  solemnly  consecrate  yourself  to 
Christ  and  his  service ;  and  will  you  endeavor 
henceforth  to  keep  God's  holy  commandments 
and  to  walk  in  the  same  all  the  days  of  your 
life?  If  so,  answer,  *'I  will  endeavor  so  to 
do,  the  Lord  being  my  helper." 

[The  minister  shall  then  baptize  the  candi- 


FORMULAS,  201 

date,  the  service  lo  be  concluded  with  a  short 
prayer  and  the  benediction.] 

Section  YII. 

FORMULA  FOR  THE  BAPTISM  OF  CHILDREN. 

"  And  they  brought  young  children  to  him, 
that  he  should  touch  them;  and  his  disciples 
rebuked  those  that  brought  them.  But  when 
Jesus  saw  it,  he  was  much  displeased,  and  said 
unto  them,  Suffer  the  little  children  to  come 
unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not:  for  of  such  is 
the  kingdom  of  God.  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
Whosoever  shall  not  receive  the  kingdom  of 
God  as  a  little  child,  he  shall  not  enter  therein. 
And  he  took  them  up  in  his  arms,  put  his 
hands  upon  them,  and  blessed  them  "  ( Mark 
10:13-16). 

In  presenting  this  child  for  baptism,  you  not 
only  signify  your  faith  in  the  Christian  religion, 
of  which  baptism  is  an  ordinance,  but  also  your 
desire  that  he  [or  she]  may  early  know  and 
follow  the  will  of  God,  may  live  and  die  a 
Christian,  and  attain  unto  everlasting  life. 

In  order  to  do  this,  it  will  be  your  duty  as 
parents  [or  guardians]  to  teach  him  [or  her] 
early  the  fear  of  the  Lord ;  to  watch  over  his 
[or  her]  education,  that  he  [or  she]  be  led  not 
astray ;  to  direct  his  [or  her]  youthful  mind  to 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  his  [or  her]  feet  to  the 


202  DISCIPLINE. 

sanctuary;  to  restrain  him  [or  herj  from  evil 
associates  and  habits  j  and  as  much  as  in  you 
lies,  to  bring  him  [or  her]  up  in  the  nurture 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord. 

Ques.  Will  you  endeavor  so  to  do,  by  the 
help  of  God? 

Ans.     I  will. 

[The  minister  shall  then  baptize  the  child, 
repeating  the  full  name  of  the  same,  saying:] 
I  baptize  thee  in  the  name  of  th?  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Amen. 
[All  to  be  followed  with  a  short  prayer  by  the 
minister.] 

Section  VIII. 

rOKMTTLA  POK  LAYING  CORNEH  STONK 

"  Beloved  :  In  ancient  time  God  commanded 
his  servant  Moses  to  set  up  the  tabernacle  in 
the  wilderness,  and  bestowed  his  blessing  upon 
Solomon,  the  king,  in  erecting  the  temple  in 
Jerusalem,  w^hither  the  tribes  came  up  to 
worship.  In  like  manner  he  has  moved  your 
hearts  to  erect  a  sanctuary,  where,  in  years  to 
come,  his  people  may  assemble  for  prayer  and 
praise.  We  have  met  together  at  this  time  to 
lay  the  corner  stone  with  proper  religious 
services." 

1.  Singing. 

2.  Eeading  of  Scripture.  (Ps.  132;  I.  Cor. 
3:8-23.) 


FORMULAS.  203 

3.  Prayer. 

4.  Singing. 

5.  Sermon  or  address. 

6.  Collection. 

The  minister  standing  by  the  stone  shall  ex- 
hibit the  box  to  bo  deposited,  and  read  the  list 
of  contents.  Then  the  minister,  assisted  by  the 
builder,  shall  deposit  the  box  and  adjust  the 
stone  to  its  resting  place. 

This  done,  the  minister  shall  strike  the  stone 
thrice  with  a  trowel  or  hammer,  and  say  °.  "  In 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  we  lay  this  corner  stone  in  the 
foundation  of  a  house  to  be  erected  and  dedi- 
cated for  the  worship  of  God,  where  his  word 
shall  be  preached  and  his  worship  maintained. 
Amen." 

Singing. 

Benediction. 

Sectiox  IX. 

CHURCH-DEDICATION  SERVICE. 

( Psalm  84 ;  or,  Isaiah 


1. 

Scripture  reading. 

62  and  Psalm  122.) 

2. 

Singing. 

3. 

Prayer. 

4. 

Singing. 

5. 

Sermon. 

6. 

Menetarj'  oflfering. 

204  DISCIPLINE. 

7.  Singing. 

8.  Reading,  with  congregation  standing : 

*'  But  will  God  indeed  dwell  on  the  earth  ?  be- 
hold, the  heaven  and  heaven  of  heavens  cannot 
contain  thee ;  how  much  less  this  house  that  I 
have  builded  ? 

"Yet  have  thou  respect  unto  the  prayer  of 
thy  servant,  and  to  his  supplication,  O  Lord 
my  God,  to  hearken  unto  the  cry  and  to  the 
prayer  which  thy  servant  prayeth  before  thee 
to-day : 

"That  thine  eyes  may  be  open  toward  this 
house  night  and  day,  even  toward  the  place  of 
which  thou  hast  said,  My  name  shall  be  there : 
that  thou  mayest  hearken  unto  the  prayer 
which  thy  servant  shall  make  toward  this  place. 

"And  hearken  thou  to  the  supplication  of 
thy  servant,  and  of  thy  people  Israel,  when 
they  shall  pray  toward  this  place:  and  hear 
thou  in  heaven  thy  dwelling  place,  and  when 
thou  hearest,  forgive. 

"If  any  man  trespass  against  his  neighbour, 
and  an  oath  be  laid  upon  him  to  cause  him  to 
swear,  and  the  oath  come  before  thine  altar  in 
this  house :  then  hear  thou  in  heaven,  and  do, 
and  judge  thy  servants,  condemning  the  wicked, 
to  bring  his  way  upon  his  head;  and  justifjang 
the  righteous,  to  give  him  according  to  his 
righteousness. 


FORMUi-AS,  205 

**  When  thy  people  Israel  be  smitten  down 
before  the  enemy,  because  they  have  sinned 
against  thee,  and  shall  turn  again  to  thee  and 
confess  thy  name,  and  pray,  and  make  supplica- 
tion unto  thee  in  this  house  i  then  hear  thou  in 
heaven,  and  forgive  the  sin  of  thy  people  Israel, 
and  bring  them  again  unto  the  land  which 
thou  gavest  unto  their  fathers. 

"AYhen  heaven  is  shut  up,  and  there  is  no 
rain,  because  they  have  sinned  against  thee; 
if  they  pray  toward  this  place,  and  confess  thy 
name,  and  turn  from  their  sin,  when  thou 
afflictest  them:  then  hear  thou  in  heaven,  and 
forgive  the  sin  of  thy  servants,  and  of  thy 
people  Israel,  that  thou  teach  them  the  good 
way  wherein  they  should  walk,  and  give  rain 
upon  thy  land,  which  thou  hast  given  to  thy 
people  for  an  inheritance. 

"If  there  be  in  the  land  famine,  if  there  be 
pestilence,  blasting,  mildew,  locust,  or  if  there 
be  caterpillar;  if  their  enemy  besiege  them  in 
the  land  of  their  cities;  whatsoever  plague, 
whatsoever  sickness  there  be ;  what  prayer  and 
supplication  soever  be  made  b}^  any  man,  or  by 
all  thy  people  Israel,  which  shall  know  every 
man  the  plague  of  his  own  heart,  and  spread 
forth  his  hands  toward  this  house ;  then  hear 
thou  in  heaven  thy  dwelling  j^lace,  and  forgive, 
and  do,  and  give  to  every  man  according  to  his 


206  DISCIPLINE. 

ways,  whose  heart  thou  knowest;  (for  thou, 
even  thou  only,  knowest  the  hearts  of  all  the 
children  of  men;)  that  they  may  fear  thee  all 
the  days  that  they  live  in  the  land  which  thou 
gavest  unto  our  fathers. 

*'  INIoreover  concerning  a  stranger,  that  is  not 
of  thy  people  Israel,  but  cometh  out  of  a  far 
country  for  thy  name's  sake ;  ( for  they  shall 
hear  of  thy  great  name,  and  of  thy  strong  hand, 
and  of  thy  stretched  out  arm;)  when  he  shall 
come  and  pray  toward  this  house ;  hear  thou  in 
heaven  thy  dwelling  place,  and  do  according  to 
all  that  the  stranger  calleth  to  thee  for :  that  all 
people  of  the  earth  may  know  thy  name,  to  fear 
thee,  as  do  thy  people  Israel;  and  that  they 
may  know  that  this  house,  which  I  have 
builded,  is  called  by  thy  name"  (I.  Kings  8: 
27-43). 

*MYe  will  go  into  his  tabernacles:  we  will 
worship  at  his  footstool "  ( Psalm  132 :  7). 

"For  the  Lord  hath  chosen  Zion;  he  hath 
desired  it  for  his  habitation. 

"This  is  my  rest  forever:  here  will  I  dwell; 
for  I  have  desired  it. 

**I  will  abundantly  bless  her  provision:  I 
will  satisfy  her  poor  with  bread.  I  will  also 
clothe  her  priests  with  salvation :  and  her  saints 
shall  shout  aloud  for  joy  "  ( Psalm  132 :  13-16). 

"Now,  my  God,  let,  I  beseech  thee,  thine 


FORMS.  207 

eyes  be  open,  and  let  thine  ears  be  attent  unto 
the  prayer  that  is  made  in  this  jDlace. 

"Kow  therefore  arise,  O  Lord  God,  into  thy 
resting  place,  thou,  and  the  ark  of  thy  strength : 
let  thy  priests,  0  Lord  God,  be  clothed  with 
salvation,  and  let  thy  saints  rejoice  in  good- 
ness" (IL  Chron.  6:40,  41). 

"Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  from 
everlasting  to  everlasting,  and  let  all  the  people 
say,  Amen.  Praise  ye  the  Lord"    Psalm  106:48.) 

9.  Charge  to  the  trustees. 

10.  Delivery  of  the  keys  in  the  name  of  the 
Trinity  to  hold  in  trust  for  God  and  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ. 

11.  Doxology. 

12.  Benediction. 


CHAPTEK  XXV. 
FORMS. 

CEBTIFICATES  ANB  LICENSES. 

Form  of  Certificate  of  Transfer  of  Member. 

This  is  to  certify  that  A.  B.  is  an  acceptable 
member  of  the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren 

in  Christ,  at Class, Charge, 

Conference,  and  is  hereby  transferred  to 

Society,  of Charge, Conference. 

Pastor. 

[Date,  etc.] 


208  DISCIPLINE. 

Form  of  Certificate  of  Membership. 
This  is  to  certify  that  A.  B.  is  a  member  in 
good  standing  of  the  Church  of  the  United 

Brethren  in  Christ  at  ,  and  is  hereby 

recommended  to  the  confidence  and  fellowship 
of  Christians  everywhere. 

Pastor. 

[  Date,  etc.] 

Form  of  Certificate  of  Withdrawao. 
This  is  to  certify  that  A.  B.  has  been  until 
this  date  a  member  in  good  standing  in  the 
Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  at 

,  and  at  request  is  granted  this 

letter  of  withdrawal  and  recommendation  from 
the  Church  by  a  vote  of  the  class. 

Pastor. 

[Date,  etc.] 

Form  of  License  for  Quarterly-Conference  Preacher 
or  Exhorter. 

This  is  to  certify  that is  an  approved 

of  the  gospel  in  the  Church  of  the 

United  Brethren  in  Christ,  as  long  as  his  con- 
duct and  doctrine  are  conformable  with  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  Given  at  a  quarterly  confer- 
ence, held  on charge,  this day  of 

our  Lord, .    Subject  to  renewal  annually. 

P.E. 

[Date,  etc.] 


FORMS.  209 

Form  for   Permanent  License  for  Quarterly-Con- 
ference Preachers. 

This  is  to  certify  that has  completed 

the  course  of  reading  required,  and  is  hereby 
granted  a  permanent  hceuse  as  a  quarterly- 
conference  preacher  in  the  Church  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ.  Signed, 

P.  E. 

[Date,  etc.] 

*  Annual-Conference  License. 

This  is  to  certify  that is  an  approved 

preacher  of  the  gospel  in  the  Church  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ,  as  long  as  his  con- 
duct and  doctrine  are  conformable  with  the 
gospel  of  Christ.  Given  at  an  annual  con- 
ference, held  in this day  of 

in  the  year  of  our  Lord,  18 — .  Signed  in  behalf 
of  said  conference. 

Bishop. 

[Date,  etc.] 

Elder^s  License. 

This  is  to  certify  that is  an  approved 

preacher  of  the  gospel  in  the  Church  of  the 
United  Brethren  in  Christ,  as  long  as  his  con- 
duct and  doctrine  are  conformable  with  the 
gospel  of  Christ,  and  has  been  ordained  to  the 
office  of  an  elder  by  the  laying  on  of  hands. 

Given  at  an  annual  conference  held  in 

14 


210  DISCIPLIXE. 

this  day  of  in  the  year  of  our 

Lord,  189—. 

Signed  and  sealed  in  behalf  of  said  conference. 
Bishop. 

[Date,  etc.] 

Form  of  Transfer  of  Preacher. 

This  is  to  certify  that  is  a  of 

the  Church  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  of 

Conference,  and  is  hereby  transferred  to 

Conference  of  said  Church. 

[Date,  etc.] 

B£QUESTS. 

Home^  Frontier  J  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society. 
I  give  and  bequeath  to  the  Home,  Frontier, 
and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  United 
Brethren  in  Christ,  organized  by  the  General 
Conference  of  said  Church,  May  20,  1853,  and 
incorporated  in  Butler  County,  Ohio,  Septem- 
ber 23, 1854,  the  sum  of dollars ;  and  the 

receipt  of  the  treasurer  of  the  society  shall  be  a 
sufficient  discharge  thereof  to  my  executors  and 
administrators. 


Woman^s  Missionary  Association, 

I  give,  devise,  and  bequeath  to  the  Woman's 
Missionary  Association  of  the  United  Brethren 
in  Christ,  for Dollars. 


FORMS. 


211 


BEPORTS. 
FORM   OF  preacher's  REPORT. 


Quarterly   Report, 


Annual    Conference, 


United  Brethren  in  Christ, 


Classes  or  Fields  of  Labor. 

District. 

i 

0 

1 

1* 

1 

o 

i 
t 

Circmt. 

Mission. 

Quarter. 

„. 189... 

1 

H 

Members  at  present 

... 

... 

... 

... 

... 

... 

... 

•• 

T>r<^ar»}iAr'q  csalarv    * 

Collec'd  for  church  expenses. 

1 

Collected  for 

Collected  for 

Collected  for             

... 

... 

... 

... 

.[Name.] 


[  The  blanks  can  be  filled  out  to  suit  either  pastor  or 
presiding  elder,  as  the  presiding  elder  would  simply 
give  the  totail  column  of  each  work.] 


212  DISCIPLINE, 

SABBATH-SCHOOL  SUPERINTENDENT'S  REPORT. 

Sabbath  Schoolj Quarter, 

[Date.] 

1.  Number  of  officers  and  teacliers 

2.  Number  of  scholars  em-olled 

3.  Average  attendance 

4.  Children's  Friends 

6.  Missionary  Visitors 

6.  Lessons  for  the  Little  Ones 

7.  Quarterlies 

8.  Bible  Teachers 

9.  Amount  of  collections 

10.  Expenses  of  the  quarter ; 

11.  Missions 

Remarks. 

Superintendent. 

class-leader's  report. 

Class,  Qxiarter. 

[Date.] 

1.  Number  of  members 

2.  Number  of  meetings  held 

3.  Average  attendance 

4.  Number  of  sick  and  delinquent  members 

visited 


CONTRIBUTION    CARD. 

CJiurch [Date.] 

I  hereby  agree  to  pay  to  the  order  of  the 

treasurer  of Church  the  sum  of , 

weekly,  during  the  year  commencing 

for  pastor's  salary  and  other  church  expenses. 
[Signature] 


INDEX. 

Absent  voters  for  General  Conference,  54. 

Absentees  from  annual  conference,  50. 

Academies,  160. 

Agent  of  Printing  Establishment,  152. 

Aid  from  Board  of  Education  to  students  in  schools.  159. 

Aid  from  Church-Erection  Society,  14S. 

Aid  from  General  Sunday-School  Board,  how  obtained, 
115. 

Allegheny  Conference,  boundary  of,  170. 

Amenability  of  certified  members,  37. 

Annual  Conference,  absentees  from,  50 ;  appeals  from, 
90 ;  appeals  to,  47,  89  ;  authority  of,  50 ;  boundaries, 
20,  169 ;  divisions  into  fields  of  labor,  83 ;  examina- 
tion of,  20,  57 ;  examination  of  preachers,  49 ;  lay 
representation  in,  4S;  members  of,  4S;  missionary 
collections  at,  73 ;  order  of  business  at,  50 ;  presid- 
ing ofiicers,  49,  72 ;  sermon  at,  75 ;  Sunday-school 
secretary  and  treasurer,  113;  superintondency  of,  75. 

Appeals,  Court  of,  90 ;  right  of,  21,  35 ;  from  class,  35,  89  ; 
from  quarterly  conference,  47,  89 ;  from  annual  con- 
ference, 90 ;  appeals  from  stationing  committee,  82. 

Applicants  for  membership,  23;  committee  to  examine, 
25. 

Apportionment  to  members,  47. 

Arkansas  Valley  C^onference,  boundary  of,  171. 

Auglaize  Conference,  boundary  of,  171.; 

Authorship  of  doctrinal  publications,  110. 

Baptism,  16,  24  ;  formulas  for,  199,  201. 
Beneficiary  aid,  156 ;  collections  for,  158 ;  recommenda- 
tions for,  159. 

213 


214  DISCIPLINE. 

Bequests,  Missionary  Society,  135 ;  to  the  General  Board 
of  the  Church,  HI ;  forms  of,  210. 

Bishops,  announcement  of  representation  in  General 
Conference  by,  52 ;  annual  meeting  of,  73 ;  attend- 
ance at  conference,  71 ;  connection  with  educational 
work,  74, 167  ;  delinquency  of,  75  ;  duties  of,  20,  72 ; 
election  of,  20,  71 ;  eligibility  to  office  of,  20 ;  emer- 
itus, 71 ;  pro  tern.,  49 ;  reports  of,  74 ;  residence  of,  72 ; 
salaries  of,  71 ;  vacancy  in  office  of,  74. 

Board  of  Education,  155.     (See  Education,  Board  of.) 

Board  of  Election,  53. 

Book  Committee,  110. 

Boundaries,  169;  annual-conference  districts,  170;  bish- 
ops' districts,  169. 

Branch  missionary  societies,  133 ;  contributions  to,  134 ; 
secretary  of,  133 ;  treasurer  of,  133. 

Branch  society,  W.  M.  A.,  constitution  of,  141. 

Building  of  church  houses  and  parsonages,  102. 

Burial  of  dead,  196. 

Califoenia  Conference,  boundary  of,  172. 

Central  Illinois  Conference,  boundary  of,  172. 

Central  Ohio  Conference,  boundary  of,  173. 

Certificate  of  withdrawal,  208 ;  of  membership,  208. 

Children,  home  training  of,  87. 

Church-Erection  Society,  145 ;  apportionment  and  divis- 
ion of  funds,  147 ;  conference  branches  of,  147  ;  duties 
of  officers,  146 ;  insurance  for  security  of,  149 ;  loans, 
148. 

Church  houses,  100 ;  building  of,  102 ;  formula  for  dedi- 
cation of,  203 ;  plans  for,  106 ;  sale  of,  103 ;  trustees 
of,  100. 

Church  records,  85. 

Circulation  of  Church  literature,  duty  regarding,  84. 

Classes,  38 ;  division  of,  39 ;  disbanding  of,  39. 

Classification  of  ministry,  64 ;  how  determined,  65. 


INDEX.  215 

Class-leaders,  election  of,  38 ;  dismissal  of,  10 ;  duties  of, 
39 ;  in  elections  to  General  Conference,  53 ;  in  trials, 
34;  qualifications,  39;  records  of,  36,  40;  report, 
form  of,  212. 

Class  stewards,  appointment  of,  84 ;  dismissal  of,  41 ; 
duties,  40 :  in  elections  to  General  Conference,  53. 

Collections,  general,  86 ;  missionary,  73,  86. 

Colleges,  161. 

Colorado  Conference,  boundary  of,  174. 

Columbia  Eiver  Conference,  bovmdary  of,  174. 

Committee  for  trial  of  members,  33;  of  annual-confer- 
ence preachers,  77 ;  of  quarterly-conference  preach- 
ers, 75. 

Conference,  Annual— See  .Armual  Conference. 

Conference,  General— See  General  Conference. 

Conference,  Quarterly — See  Quarterly  Conference. 

Confession  of  Faith,  14. 

Constitution,  18. 

Contents,  3. 

Contribution  card,  form  of,  212. 

Comer  stone,  laying  of,  202. 

Course  of  reading  required,  for  quarterly-conference 
preachers,  59,  94 ;  for  annual-conference  preachers, 
95 ;  for  German  preachers,  98 ;  examinations,  94,  95  ; 
completing  the  course,  99. 

Courses  of  study  in  colleges,  161. 

Court  of  Appeals,  90. 

Dead,  formula  for  burial  of,  196. 

Dedications  of  churches,  203. 

Delegates  to  General  Conference,  how  elected,  52 ;  ex- 

I>ense3  of,  56. 
Des  Moines  Conference,  boundary  of,  174. 
Directors  of  Missionary  Society,  Board  of,  129 ;  life,  129. 
Disbanding  of  classes,  39. 
Dismissal,  of  members,  38 ;  of  class-leaders,  40 ;  of  class 

stewards,  41 ;  of  superintendent,  118. 


216  DISCIPLINE. 

Division  of  interest  in  parsonages,  105. 

Divorce  and  divorced  persons,  rule  regarding,  109. 

East  German  Conference,  boundary  of,  174. 

East  Nebraska  Conference,  boundary  of,  175. 

East  Ohio  Conference,  boundary  of,  175. 

East  Pennsylvania  Conference,  boundary  of,  176, 

Education,  Board  of,  155;  collections  for,  158;  execu- 
tive committee  of,  159 ;  iionorary  members  of,  159 ; 
oflBcers  of,  155 ;  objects  of,  156 ;  recommendations  to, 
159 ;  reports  of,  157, 160. 

Educational  institutions,  155 ;  special  effort  for,  167. 

Educational  sermon  required,  158. 

Eiders,  66 ;  duties  of,  68 ;  election  to  orders,  67 ;  examina- 
tion of  candidates  for  orders,  67  ;  ordination  of,  67, 
190;  probation  of,  66,  68 ;  questions  regarding  candi- 
dates, 66. 

Election  of  officers  of  General  Conference,  57. 

Electioneering  forbidden,  50. 

Elections  to  General  Conference,  52 ;  returns  of,  54 ; 
publication  of  results,  55. 

ELkhorn  and  Dakota  Conference,  boundary  of,  177. 

Erie  Conference,  boundary  of,  177. 

Estimating  committee,  42. 

Evangelists,  66 ;  evangelistic  work,  87. 

Examinations,  excusing  from,  46;  of  annual  confer- 
ences, 20,  57 ;  of  preachers  regarding  life,  49. 

Exchange  of  pastors  by  presiding  elder,  70. 

Exhorters,  duties  of,  58 ;  how  licensed,  57 ;  renewal  of 
license  of,  58 ;  trial  of,  45,  75. 

Expelled  preachers  not  to  be  received,  62. 

Expenses  of  delegates  to  General  Conference,  56. 

Expulsion,  of  annual-conference  preachers,  76 ;  of  quar- 
terly-conference preachers,  75. 

Famtly  piety,  27. 
Fast-days,  73. 


INDEX.  217 

Fields  of  labor,  division  into,  83. 

Forms:  bequests  for  missions,  210;  certificate  of 
membership,  208;  certificate  of  -withdrawal,  208; 
class-leader's  report,  212;  contribution  card,  212; 
elder's  license,  209;  license  for  annual-conference 
preachers,  209;  license  for  quarterly-conference 
preachers,  208;  license  for  quarterly-conference 
preachers,  permanent,  209 ;  pastor's  report,  211 ;  Sab- 
bath-school superintendent's  report,  212 ;  transfer  of 
members,  207 ;  transfer  of  preachers,  210. 

Formtilas:  baptism  of  adults,  199;  baptism  of  chil- 
dren, 201 ;  burial  of  the  dead,  196 ;  church  dedica- 
tion, 203;  holy  communion,  197;  laying  of  corner 
stone,  202 ;  marriage  ceremony,  192, 193 ;  ordination 
of  elders,  190. 

GENEEAli  church  steward,  46 ;  member  of  quarterly  con- 
ference, 43. 

General  Conference,  appeals  to,  90 ;  bishops'  announce- 
ment of  representation,  52 ;  composition  of,  19,  51 ; 
duties,  19 ;  election  of  delegates  to,  19,  52 ;  election 
of  ofiicers,  57 ;  entertainmentof ,  56 ;  location  of,  56 ; 
nomination  of  lay  delegates,  52 ;  nomination  of  min- 
isterial delegates,  52;  presiding  officers  of,  20; 
quorum,  19 ;  representation  in,  51. 

General  interests,  support  of,  29. 

German  churches,  transfer  to  English,  and  vice  versa, 
104. 

Germany  Conference,  178. 

Gospel,  support  of,  28. 

Government,  obedience  to  civil,  28. 

Government  of  the  Church,  38. 

HiSTOEiCAii  Society,  168. 

Histoi-y  of  the  Church,  outline  of,  7. 

Home  missions,  135. 

Home  training  of  children,  87. 


218  DISCIPLINE. 

Illinois  Conference,  boundary  of,  178. 
Incorporation,  of  churcli  houses  and  parsonages,  102 ; 

of  general  Church,  property,  105. 
Indiana  Conference,  boundary  of,  178. 
Insurance  of  church  property,  103, 149. 
Iowa  Conference,  boiindary  of,  179. 
Itineracy,  21.  81. 
Itinerants— See  Preachers,  Itinerant. 

Kansas  Conference,  boundary  of,  179. 
Kentucky  Mission  District,  190. 

Lay  delegates  in  the  General  Conference,  19,  51. 

Lay  delegation  in  annual  conferences,  48. 

Leaders,  class— See  Class-leaders. 

License,  of  exhorters,  57 ;  of  preachers  by  quarterly  con- 
ferences, 45,  58 ;  of  women,  62  ;  permanent  license,  95  ; 
renewal  of  exhorter's,  58 ;  renewal  of  quarterly-con- 
ference preacher's,  60. 

Limit  of  certificate  of  members,  37. 

Limit  of  transfer  of  preachers,  63. 

Literature,  circulation  of  Church,  S4;  in  Sunday 
schools,  120. 

Loans  of  Church-Erection  Society,  148. 

Local  preachers — See  Preachers,  local. 

Lord's  Supper,  doctrine  of,  16 ;  formula  for,  197 ;  prep- 
aration for,  41 ;  presiding  elder  to  administer,  69. 

Lower  Wabash  Conference,  boundary  of,  179. 

Makeiage,  formula  of,  192, 193 ;  who  may  solemnize,  78. 

Maryland  Conference,  boundary  of,  ISO. 

Members  of  Church,  23;  amenability  of  those  having 
certificates,  37  ;  dismissal  of,  38 ;  duties  of,  26 ;  from 
other  churches,  25 ;  limit  of  certificate,  37 ;  preach- 
er's responsibility  in  reception  of,  26;  questions  to 
applicants,  24;  Sabbath  observance,  28;  seekers,  25; 
support  of  the  gospel,  28 ;  transfer  of,  37,  207 ;  trial 
of,  32. 


219 


Miami  Conference,  boundary  of,  180. 

Michigan  Conference,  boundary  of,  181. 

Ministry  of  Church,  57 ;  classification  of,  64 ;  prepara- 
tion for, 100. 

Minnesota  Conference,  boundary  of,  181. 

Mission  couferences,  orj,'anizati<>u  of,  73. 

Mission  districts,  1?>2. 

Missionaries,  duties  of,  132. 

Missionary  Association,  Woman's— See  Woman's  Mis- 
sionary Association. 

Missionary  Society,  annual-conference  representation 
in,  130 ;  branch  societies,  133 ;  constitution  of,  129 ; 
life  directors  and  members  of,  129;  officers,  129; 
duties  of  officers,  130 ;  board  of  directors,  131 ;  branch 
treasurer  and  secretary,  133;  contributions,  object 
designated,  131;  branch  societies'  control  of  home 
missions,  133  ;  bequests  to,  135 ;  Sabbath  schools  as 
auxiliaries,  119 ;  thank-offering  for,  133. 

Missouri  Conference,  boundary  of,  181. 

Moral  reform,  106. 

Moving  the  preacher,  88. 

Neosho  Conference,  boundary  of,  182. 

New  schools,  formation  of,  162. 

Nonconformity  to  the  world,  30. 

North  Michigan  Conference,  boundary  of,  182. 

North  Ohio  Conference,  boundary  of,  182. 

Northwest  Kansas  Conference,  boundary  of,  182. 

Oaths,  108. 

Official  boards,  duties  of,  42 ;  members  of,  41 ;  revision 

of  records  by,  43. 
Ohio  German  Conference,  boundary  of,  183. 
Ontario  Conference,  boundary  of,  183. 
Orders,  election  to  elders',  67. 
Ordination  of  elders,  67 ;  formula  for,  190. 


220  DISCIPLINE, 

Oregon  Conference,  boundary  of,  183. 
Origin  of  the  Church,  7. 

Parkeesbueg  Conference,  boundary  of,  184. 

Parsonages,  100;  building  of,  10  ;  division  of  interes'.. 
in,  105 ;  sale  or  rent  of,  103. 

Pastor,  receiving  the,  29. 

Pastoral  visiting,  87. 

Pennsylvania  Conference,  boundary  of,  184 

Poor,  care  of,  29. 

Preachers,  general  duties  of,  79 ;  restrictions  upon,  80 

Preachers,  annual-conference :  accountable  to  quar- 
terly conference,  64 ;  classification  of,  64 ;  course  of 
reading  for,  96 ;  elders,  66 ;  form  of  license  for,  209  ; 
how  received,  60;  license  of  women,  62;  limit  of 
transfer,  63;  membership  of,  38,  46;  qualifications 
of,  62 ;  questions  to,  60 ;  transfer  of,  63 ;  trial  of,  76. 

Preachers,  itinerant :  collections  by,  86 ;  defined,  65 ; 
duties  of,  83;  to  poor,  29;  in  transfer  of  mem- 
bers, 37;  to  Sunday  schools,  116;  employment  of 
other  than  itinerant,  83 ;  examination  by  annual  con- 
ference, 49 ;  how  constituted,  81 ;  membership  of,  38  ; 
moving  of,  88 ;  pastoral  visiting,  87 ;  power  to  change, 
70 ;  records  of,  85 ;  reports  of,  84,  211 ;  resignation  of, 
81 ;  salaries  of,  88 ;  stewards'  duties  regarding,  40 ; 
superannuated,  65 ;  supernumerary,  65 ;  support  of, 
28,  88 ;  stationing  of,  28 ;  withdrawal  of,  81. 

Preachers,  local :  defined,  65 ;  voting  of,  21. 

Preachers,  quarterly-conference :  course  of  reading 
for,  59,  94 ;  examination  of,  94 ;  excuse  of,  from  ex- 
amination, 46;  license  of,  46;  permanent  license, 
46,  95;  recommendation  to  annual  conference,  60 ; 
renewal  of  license,  60;  required  to  join  class,  46; 
trial  of,  45,  75. 

Presiding  elders,  duties  of,  69;  duties  in  elections,  53; 
duties  regarding  church  property,  94 ;  duties  regard- 
ing Young  People's  Christian  Union,  69;  election 


221 


of,  68 ;  power  to  dismiss  pastors,  70 ;  power  to  ex- 
change pastors,  70 ;  reports  of,  70,  211 ;  stationing  of, 
69 ;  support  of,  69 ;  vacancies  filled,  70. 

Presiding-elder  steward,  41. 

Printing  Establishment,  150 ;  officers  of,  150 ;  profits  of, 
154. 

Pro  rata  representation  in  General  Conference,  19,  51. 

Property,  title  to,  20,  22. 

Publications,  110. 

Quarterly  Conference,  45 ;  appeal  to  annual  confer- 
ence, 47 ;  appeals  tried,  45  ;  duties  of,  44  ;  estimating 
committee  appointed  by,  46 ;  examination  of  appli- 
cants for  license,  59  ;  general  steward  appointed  by, 
46 ;  licensing  of  exhorters,  45, 57  ;  licensing  preachers, 
45,  58;  members  of,  43;  permanent  license  by,  46; 
quorum  of,  44 ;  recommending  preachers  to  annual 
conference,  45, 

Real  estate  for  church  purposes,  105. 
Reception  of  annual-conference  preachers,  60. 
Reception  of  preachers  from  other  churches,  64. 
Records,  church,  85 ;   revision  of,  83 ;  of  class-leaders, 

40 ;  of  trials,  36. 
Reorganization  of  classes,  84. 
Reports,  of  bishops,  74 ;  of  presiding  elders,  70,  211 ;  of 

itinerants,  84,  211. 
Reports  of  proceedings  of  General  Conference,  153. 
Representation  in  General  Conference,  19,  51. 
Resignation  of  itinerants,  81. 
Returns  of  elections  to  General  Conference,  54. 
Revision  of  church  records,  83. 
Rock  River  Conference,  boundary  of,  185. 

Sabbath-School  Board,  General,  112;  annual  collec- 
tions, 113;  annual-conference  relations,  116;  appro- 
priations of,  115;  composition  of,  113;  duties,  114; 
object,  113 ;  secretary  of,  113. 


222  DISCIPLINE. 

Sabbath-schools,  collections  for  missions,  119;  constitu- 
tion for,  119 ;  duties  of  superintendent,  118 ;  duty  of 
members  toward,  28;  form  of  superintendent's  re- 
port, 212 ;  oflficers  of,  118 ;  organization  of,  117 ;  pas- 
tor's relation  to,  116. 

Sacraments,  16 ;  formulas  for  administering,  197, 199,  201. 

Salaries  of  bishops,  71 ;  of  itinerants,  88 ;  of  mission- 
aries, 88 ;  of  presiding  elders,  69. 

Sandusky  Conference,  boundary  of,  185. 

Scioto  Conference,  boundary  of,  185. 

Seceding  members,  92. 

Secret  combinations,  constitutional  provision  upon,  22 ; 
law  on,  107. 

Secretaries  of  annual  conferences,  49. 

Secretary,  of  Board  of  Education,  155 ;  of  Church-Erec- 
tion Society,  145 ;  of  General  Sunday-School  Board, 
113 ;  of  Missionary  Society,  129. 

Security  of  missionary  treasurers,  135. 

Seekers,  25. 

Sermon,  by  bishops,  75 ;  on  education,  158 ;  on  missions, 
86. 

Sherbro  Conference,  186. 

Singing,  27. 

Slavery, 107 

Southern  Missouri  Conference,  boundary  of,  186. 

Southwest  Kansas,  boundary  of,  186. 

St.  Joseph  Conference,  boundary  of,  186. 

Stationing  committee,  appeal  from,  82 ;  for  itinerants, 
82  ;  for  presiding  elders,  69  ;  time  of  report,  83. 

Stewards— See  Class  stewards,  General  church  steward, 
and  Presiding-elder  steward. 

Superannuated  ministers,  65  ;  support  of,  88. 

Superintendents  of  Sunday  schools,  118. 

Supernumerary  ministers,  65. 

Suspension  of  preachers,  75,  76. 

Teachers  of  Sunday  school,  121. 


223 


Tellers,  local,  53 ;  annual-conference,  53 

Temperance,  106. 

Tennessee  Conference,  boundary  of,  187 

Texas  Mission  District,  190. 

Thanksgiving  days,  73. 

Tobacco,  62, 107. 

Transfer,  of  members,  37,  207;  of  preachers,  63,  210; 
limit  of  transfer,  63. 

Treasurer  of  local  church,  42,  44. 

Treasurer  of  Missionary  Society,  129  ]  security  of,  135. 

Trial,  of  members,  32,  36 ;  for  immoral  conduct,  33 ;  for 
disobedience,  34 ;  in  disputes,  35 ;  order  in,  36  ;  pres- 
ident at,  77,  &4 ;  records  of,  36 ;  trial  of  preachers, 
75 ;  of  quarterly  conference,  45,  75 ;  of  annual  con- 
ference, 76;  of  exhorters,  45  75. 

Trustees  of  churches,  ICiO ;  of  Printing  Establishment, 
150;  of  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ,  111;  of 
Woman's  Missionary  Association,  138. 

Union,  necessity  of,  31. 

Union  Biblical  Seminary,  162  ;  annual  collection  for,  165  ; 
directors  of,  162;  general  manager  of,  164;  obliga- 
tion of  faculty  of,  165  ;  support  of,  164  ;  post-gradu- 
ate studies,  166. 

University  extension,  167. 

Upper  Wabash  Conference,  boundary  of,  188. 

Vacancy,  in  bishopric,  74 ;  in  fields  of  labor,  83 ;  in  pre. 

siding-elders'  districts,  70. 
Vacant  chu'ch  houses  and  parsonages,  103. 
Virginia  Conference,  boundary  of,  188. 
Visiting  by  pastors,  87. 

Wak,  108. 

West  Nebraska  Conference,  boundary  of,  189. 
White  River  Conference,  boundary  of,  189. 
Wisconsin  Conference,  boundary  of,  190. 
Withdrawal  of  members,  form  for,  208. 


224  DISCIPLINE. 

Woman's  Missionary  Association,  incorporation,  137; 
membership,  137 ;  management  of,  138 ;  relation  to 
Church,  139;  branch  societies,  141;  local  societies, 
143. 

Women,  granting  license  to,  62. 

Young  People's  Christian  Union,  122 ;  constitution  of, 
123;  duties  of  pastors  toward,  83;  presidents  of, 
members  of  quarterly  conference,  43 ;  young  mem- 
bers to  unite  with,  28. 


BX9878.52.A11893 

Origin,  doctrine,  constitution,  and 

lllZll  iniinlM?!?^'"'  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1012  00021   2771 


